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Sinkhole left behind after JSO officer crashes into fire hydrant during chase

Two Jacksonville Sheriff's Office employees are recovering after they were hospitalized in separate crashes while chasing a DUI suspect early Tuesday morning in Grand Park.

Shortly after the chase, a JSO spokesperson said one officer hit a fire hydrant during the pursuit.

But the officer didn’t just hit a fire hydrant.

Hitting that hydrant appears to have caused a sinkhole just steps away from a house, destroying a sidewalk and a stop sign.

The hydrant, as well as pieces of the squad car, are still in the sinkhole.

Allen Almus II said he heard “a big boom” and went outside, where he saw the crashed squad car and water gushing down the street.

“I said, ‘Are you OK?’ He said, ‘I’m just calling for backup right now.’ I said, ‘Sir, can I do something to help you?’ He told me he was OK,” said Almus.

A JSO spokesperson said officers started chasing suspected intoxicated driver Nicklaus Nixon because he wouldn’t pull over.

JSO said Nixon only came to a stop when another officer performed a Pursuit Intervention Technique maneuver, sending Nixon’s vehicle spinning onto the sidewalk across from Cleveland Arms apartments.

That’s where JSO said Nixon hit another officer who was trying to lay down stop sticks. Nixon has been a defendant in 30 cases in Duval County.

Half were traffic related.

While Nixon sits in jail, Almus has a message for police.

“What if somebody was walking?” said Almus. “Slow down in the neighborhoods.”

Nixon faces four charges, including driving with a suspended or revoked license.