DUI Investigation into Crash Involving Civilian and Polk County Deputies

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on February 4, 2020

Deputies with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were injured during an incident that took place late in January and involved numerous cars. It was close to 10:00 at night on January 28th when the two officers were within a patrol vehicle and driving down the southern lanes of Combee Road within Polk County. The officers were on duty at the time, but it is not believed that they were on their way to any sort of emergency.

Behind the wheel of the patrol vehicle was a 37-year-old deputy-in-training. Sitting beside him, the 25-year-old Deputy Sheriff was observing the younger officer on one of their patrols. It is not clear where exactly on Combee Road the two officers were traveling, but at the same time as they were headed south another vehicle, a Chevrolet pickup truck, was traveling north.

Behind the wheel of the pickup truck was a 46-year-old Lakeland resident. It is not clear exactly when the 46-year-old entered the roadway, but it seems that at the time they merged onto the road they started driving north. Unfortunately, as they were doing this, they failed to change out of the southern lanes. This resulted in the Chevrolet pickup truck heading the wrong direction down the roadway for an unknown period of time.

Before they were able to alter their course, the driver of the Chevrolet reached the same area of the road where the patrol vehicle was traveling. The two vehicles collided head-on before either of the drivers were able to swerve out of the way.

As a result of the crash, both of the deputies were injured. The 37-year-old trainee was able to be treated and released from the hospital within the same day. The 25-year-old instructor was treated for injuries such as a compound nose fracture as well as a concussion. It is not clear if they were released from the hospital on the same day they were admitted or if they remained in the medical facility for a longer period of time during which they were observed and monitored by medical staff.

The driver of the Chevrolet was not injured in the incident, but they were arrested on a DUI charge. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

Sources:

• Polk County deputies injured in head-on DUI crash, officials say

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.