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Man Killed In Deputy-Involved Crash In Escambia County
January 3, 2024
A 56-year-old Escambia County man is dead and a deputy is seriously injured after a crash early Wednesday morning.
The crash happened about 2:40 a.m. at the intersection of Beverly Parkway and W Street.
Sheriff Chip Simmons said deputy O’Brian Hill was responding with his emergency lights activated on a call to a vehicle theft in progress.
“He was traveling east on Beverly Parkway in the outside lane,” the Florida Highway Patrol said in a release. “As he entered the intersection, with a solid red light, he was struck on the driver’s side by [the van] that was traveling south in the outside lane of W Street.”
The driver of the van was unrestrained and ejected from his vehicle. Both were transported to the hospital where the van driver driver died. Hill was treated and released.
Hill, who has been a deputy for two years, is expected to make a complete recovery. He has been placeed on administrative leave during the investigation.
“We have an obligation to enter an intersection only when it is safe to do so,”Simmons said.. “That is the bottom line. We will cooperate with Florida Highway Patrol, who is conducting a crash investigation. This is a terrible tragedy and we are certainly sorry that it happened. Steps are being taken both internally and with the FHP in the hopes that it never happens again.”
Photos courtesy WEAR3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
11 Responses to “Man Killed In Deputy-Involved Crash In Escambia County”
Terrible street lighting in that area .
In the instant you buckle up when driving or riding in the front seat of a car or truck, you cut your risk of a fatal injury in a crash nearly in half. Those of you who don’t wear seatbelts must not care if you lose your head, arm or leg when thrown out of the vehicle. It’s takes longer to heal if you get that chance than the 3 seconds to buckle up.
@Bryan Joseph,
It’s good you feel obligated to yield to the emergency vehicle; and people rightly should. (Also, not that anyone, other than your family and friends, cares whether you wear a seatbelt or not, it IS the law).
However, why was a deputy running Code 3 to a theft? If memory serves, Code 3 is reserved for when a life is in danger, not property. (I was a peace officer for a number of years before leaving for private sector). Maybe the rules have changed?
Either way, the emergency lights and siren requests the right of way, it doesn’t demand it; the deputy was obligated to ensure the intersection was clear before proceeding.
@Steve,
You are not wrong; however, the deputy isn’t going to do anyone any good if he doesn’t get there to help.
Terrible tragedy, for sure.
I have multiple family member is various law enforcement positions here in Escambia County (county, state, and municipal/city). The deputy is responsible, and it breaks my heart to say that.
In Florida, section 316.072, Florida Statutes, requires all drivers to obey traffic control signals and devices except for the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle under the following circumstances.
1-When responding to an emergency call;
2-When in pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law; or
3- When responding to a fire alarm but not upon returning from a fire.
***** if those circumstances exist, a police vehicle may legally proceed past a red light or stop sign but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation. *****
Leo’s have the authority to disregard traffic laws but only if it’s safe to do so. The same standard applies to ems and firefighters. That’s why you see the slow down prior to crossing intersections with stop signs and traffic lights.
I don’t wear a seatbelt and I don’t care what color the light is. When you see an officer of the law, damnit, you yield. If not, you deserve whatever. Blue lives matter!!!
Running emergency lights and siren only requests the right-of-way, it doesn’t demand it.
Running the red light is on the deputy.
I’m Call’n Johnny…………….. Paid for what? no seatbelt is really what happened. I seen a lot of wrecks in my life and 99% of them with belts on got to come home…, Most walk away that day.
To add to what others have said. Time of night says something as to maybe a possible reason dui………… also.. People dont pay attention while driving anymore. They play on phone and just keep it barely between the lines. They speed too.
Sorry for all involved, the police aint out to hurt people when they just trying to get to a call. They want to hurry up and save the day for the caller.
My thoughts are one of the drivers was not paying attention and not wearing a seat belt.
The pics of the police tahoe and the van look bad like it was a violent hit.
Unfortunate chain of events here….. Undoubtedly, initial indications are that somebody is about to get paid…. and BIG!!!!
When are people going to lean that seatbelts save lives.
So the investigation starts with the FHP And the ECSO !!! I do realize this much as of now the light in front of the officer allegedly was red BUT he did have his lights flashing !! So possibly the other guy had a green light !!! And of course at this time nobody really knows what happened other than an officer is hurt and another driver is dead!!! It’s truly a tragedy for two families and hopefully like chip Simmons said we will all learn a better way from such a terrible tragedy!!! May god bless all involved!!!