Officer with Dept. of Agriculture killed in crash on I-95 in Yulee

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — Officer James McWhorter with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Law Enforcement Division was killed in a crash on I-95 in Yulee on Saturday, the Florida Highway Patrol says.

The crash happened around 8:30 p.m. near the agricultural inspection station.

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Officer McWhorter was attempting to cross I-95 from the northbound inspection station to the southbound inspection station using the median break for official use only.

As he was crossing, a Ford F-150 crashed into the passenger side of his patrol car. Officer McWhorter was killed in the crash.

The occupants in the Ford — a mother, father and their two teenage daughters — were taken to the hospital, where they are expected to recover.

Sergeant Dylan Bryan with the Florida Highway Patrol said the Ford was traveling at a normal speed and it was a case of being in the wrong spot at the wrong time.

When asked if crossing I-95 is a common practice, Bryan said it is risky but officials are trained to do so.

“Our feelings and our work will remain the same to get as much information in reference to this complex investigation,” Bryan said.

He went on to say, “it hits a little bit closer to home for us.”

Officer McWhorter is survived by his fiancée and four children. He worked in law enforcement for 2 1/2 years. He was 31 years old.

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His fellow law enforcement members from FHP, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, along with Ag Law Enforcement, escorted his remains to the medical examiner’s office after the crash.

“I can’t say enough when we mention the blue family, the family of law enforcement, it’s a brotherhood that’s pretty close, brothers and sisters pull together in times of need,” Bryan said.

The crash blocked all lanes of I-95 southbound near mile marker 381.

The investigation is still ongoing.

This is a developing story that will be updated once more information becomes available.

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