Traffic Deputy Injured During Head-On Collision in Volusia County

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 28, 2021

A motorcycle deputy with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is lucky to be alive this evening after he suffered multiple serious and life-threatening injuries during a head-on collision with another motorist early Wednesday morning along Saxon Boulevard in the city of Deltona.

According to preliminary accident reports from the responding officers with the Florida Highway Patrol, it was close to 7:20 a.m. on October 27, 2021, when a highly-decorated 32-year-old deputy working for the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office was driving his official motorcycle in the westbound direction of Saxon Boulevard. As the officer approached the street’s intersection with Merrimac Lane, a 92-year-old unnamed man who was in the same area as the motorcyclist pulled up to the traffic light controlling the intersection. When the light turned green, the elderly driver attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the deputy and crashed into him head-on with his car. The force of impact from the collision caused the officer to be ejected from the motorcycle.

An off-duty Deltona firefighter who witnessed the motorcycle accident quickly jumped into action and pulled over to assist the severely injured deputy. Volusia County emergency response teams were dispatched to the crash site and as soon as they stabilized the officer for transport, he was taken to Central Florida Regional as a trauma alert.

A press release from Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood stated that the officer had suffered internal injuries, but had remarkably survived the incident. “He was ejected from the motorcycle. Landed on his head. He’s got broken ribs, bruised lungs, but at the end of the day, he’s walking and talking and he’s alive. This young man’s been with us since 2017. He’s a member of our SWAT team. He recently completed specialized training and was assigned to the Deltona traffic unit,” he said. At the time of this writing, the deputy is expected to make a full recovery and will return to his position with the department as soon as physically possible.

The 92-year-old driver of the other vehicle only sustained minor injuries during the collision, however, he was cited for a violation of right-of-way by the Florida Highway Patrol.

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.