Santa Rosa Deputy Involved In Fatal Century Crash Was Taking Meal Break

October 11, 2014

That Santa Rosa County deputy involved in a fatal crash early last Sunday morning in Century was in Escambia County for a meal break, according to information released Friday.

“Sheriff [Wendell] Hall recognizes the area of the north end of the county is very rural. During after hours, there often are no facilities open for a meal break. It is a common and acceptable practice for deputies to travel the short drive to Century to eat,”  said Deputy Rich Aloy, public information office for the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office.. “Our deputy was on his way to Century when a call came out. The deputy turned around and was headed back to Santa Rosa County when the accident took place.”

The nature of the emergency call in Jay has not been released.

Santa Rosa County Deputy James L. Miller, 38, was driving a marked patrol car in “emergency mode” at 12:45 a.m. on East Highway 4 near Freedom Road in Century when the left front of his vehicle collided with an eastbound bicyclist in the center of the roadway “for unknown reasons”, according to the FHP.

The bicyclist, 26-year old Paul Martin Upton, was transported as a trauma alert by Escambia County EMS to the McDavid Station of Escambia Fire Rescue and transferred to LifeFlight. Due to the Upton’s condition, he was then airlifted to Jay Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. Miller received only minor injuries.

Any charges in the crash will depend on the outcome of an ongoing Florida Highway Patrol traffic homicide investigation. Lt. Steve Preston, spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol, said the results of the crash investigation will be released at a later date.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting an administrative investigation into the incident, the results of which will be made public “after a thorough review”, the department said.

The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office have a mutual aid agreement in place where one may assist the other in their county when needed.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Comments

3 Responses to “Santa Rosa Deputy Involved In Fatal Century Crash Was Taking Meal Break”

  1. DJS on October 11th, 2014 11:22 am

    Prayers for all involved! Sheriff Wendall Hall really needs to consider having another deputy up in the North end besides just “ONE!” We may be rural, but believe it or not more happens up here than most think. Which makes it hard for one deputy to cover.

  2. member of Pilgrim Lodge Church on October 11th, 2014 9:16 am

    Paul was a very nice person and was loved by all, we will surely miss him at Pilgrim Lodge Baptist Church.

  3. Michael Weaver on October 11th, 2014 8:20 am

    Terrible situation .

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News