Deputy Hurt After Crashing Into Dead Animal in Brevard

A police officer working within Brevard County was on an official Brevard County Sheriff’s Office motorcycle on Thursday, May 10th, when he attempted to make a traffic stop.  According to a report from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy was on duty and on patrol when he noticed a car behaving in a way that made him decide to pull the vehicle over.  The report indicated that this happened somewhere along State Road 528, close to where this road intersects with Industry Road.

It was close to 2:15 in the afternoon, and the traffic stop was going according to routine when, as written in the statement of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, the motorcycle began to become unsteady.  The reports did not say whether or not something was occurring with the officer or if the bike itself was to blame for the wobbliness, but it does seem that this lack of stability contributed to the officer not being able to properly watch the road ahead of him.  This meant that when he closed in on a dead animal lying along the roadway he did not see it.

The police officer struck the dead animal—what type of animal was not specified—and was subsequently ejected from the bike.  The officer flew through the air and came to a stop inside of the median of the road.  Reports from the responding emergency officers indicated that when the emergency teams reached the location of the incident that the police officer was alert, conscious, and aware of what had happened.  He was then airlifted from the area and taken to a nearby hospital.

While the deputy did sustain injuries in the incident, the report made clear to note that, while serious, none of those injuries were life-threatening.

The road where the incident occurred was subsequently closed for a few hours while the police conducted an investigation into the incident.  It is likely that the dead animal was closely scrutinized for its role in the injuring of the on-duty officer.

No information exists on what happened to the civilian individual involved in the traffic stop.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.