20-year-old Fleeing Police Crashes into Fire Truck in Putnam County
Amazingly, no one was seriously injured in this police chase that resulted in an out-of-control crash early Monday, November 28. A 20-year-old driver from Crescent City in a stolen vehicle was fleeing police at about 2:42 a.m. in Georgetown, Florida when his Chevrolet Trailblazer hit a fire truck that was dousing a house fire. The driver was traveling 70 mph in a 35 mph zone on County Road 209, according to a report in News4jax, and when he rounded a corner he came upon the emergency vehicles. The young driver then swerved, hit a power pole, and then collided with the side of a fire truck and another fire engine. One volunteer firefighter was slightly injured when he was knocked off his feet and into a pool of water.
The young driver got out of the vehicle and began running, but the firefighters subdued him before the Putnam County sheriff’s deputy applied the Taser gun.
There was a 15-year-old boy in the stolen Chevrolet who sustained only minor injuries. Deputies found eight baggies of a substance believed to be cocaine and two baggies of marijuana. The young driver is facing a long line of charges, including: grand theft, interference of child custody, child neglect, possession of drugs with intent to sell, attempting to elude police, resisting arrest, driving under the influence, driving without a license, and reckless driving.
Police Pursuits
Every year police pursuits result in the death of innocent bystanders, as well as to police officers themselves. This article does not say if the driver of the stolen vehicle was speeding before the police pursuit. It is difficult to always know what to do in these instances, but tactical maneuvers may be employed by law enforcement as an alternative to a police pursuit to bring about an end to the pursuit sooner. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in these multiple crashes which had great potential to cause serious injuries and death.
If you have been injured in any type of accident that was caused by another party’s reckless actions, such as the driver in this case, please contact the Florida personal injury attorneys of Farah & Farah. For a complimentary consultation, call (800) 533-3555.
Source: http://www.news4jax.com/news/Driver-fleeing-deputies-crashes-into-fire-engine/-/475880/4832878/-/dg5dkf/-/index.html
