JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) investigated a crash involving a police cruiser on St. Johns Bluff Road and Town Center Parkway around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
The marked JSO cruiser was driving on Interstate 295 when it was forced to get off the highway onto Town Center Parkway due to construction.
When the officer approached the intersection of Town Center Parkway and St. John Bluff Road, they ran a red light, hitting a white Jeep.
After the crash, multiple roads in the area were closed and JEA crews had to replace equipment at this intersection which caused the lights to go out. The power was finally restored at 9:30 a.m., nearly six hours after the crash.
Dana Elias was on her way to work when she noticed several roads blocked on Town Center Parkway and St. Johns Bluff Road.
“I had to do around it to get to Publix but I had no idea what was going on,” Elias said.
Police said the driver of the Jeep was a 78-year-old man. He suffered non-life-threatening injuries but has serious back and neck injuries. JSO stated he may not have been wearing a seat belt.
The officer walked away with no injuries.
JSO told Action News Jax the crash will be investigated and our Action News Jax Law and Safety expert Dale Carson told us the punishment is similar to what a civilian would get.
The only difference is there’s a double penalty for law enforcement because they’re going to get a traffic ticket and they’re also going to get an administrative penalty from the sheriff’s office,” Carson said. “I hope that he’s going to recover well and I pray for his family and for the cop as well because it’s a pretty big deal you know and I’m sure he’s feeling the guilt of it so my heart goes out to everybody involved.”
JSO is investigating the crash. If the officer is found responsible he will face traffic and administrative citations, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Cox Media Group
