Fla. Sheriff's Deputy Fatally Struck by Passing Motorist During Stop
A Florida sheriff’s deputy working a traffic stop died after being struck by a passing vehicle, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
The identity of the deputy has not been released.
It happened late Tuesday, Nov. 22, on Interstate 75, according to Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell.
“While conducting a traffic stop on I-75, one of my deputies was struck by a passing motorist,” Prummell said in a video posted on social media.
The deputy was taken to ShorePoint Health hospital in Punta Gorda “where they succumbed to their injuries,” he said.
The motorist was identified as 30-year-old Cassandra Smith of Lakeville, Massachusetts, and she was “arrested for DUI manslaughter,” WBBH reports.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash, Prummell said.
Details of what caused the collision have not been released.
Charlotte County is about 90 miles south of Tampa.
The crash comes at a time when traffic on the nation’s roads has dramatically increased due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
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