Coco Police Officer Strikes Pedestrian with Patrol Car

A police officer working for the Cocoa Police Department was on duty just after 9:00pm on Friday night when they received an emergency report of a suicide attempt that was in progress.  The officer immediately responded to the call and began to speed towards the area indicated.  As they made their way down the road, they approached the intersection of Lake Drive and Cleralake road.  It was at this same time that a woman who was not named in the initial report was walking along the eastern sidewalk of Lake Drive.

When she reached the intersection, the woman exited the sidewalk and began to cross the road using the crosswalk.  The officer approached the intersection at this same time and, either not seeing the woman or unable to avoid her in time due to the speed at which the car was traveling, the officer struck the woman with the patrol car.

It is believed that the officer then immediately stopped their vehicle and called for an emergency assistance.

According to the official report, the woman was seriously injured as a result of the collision and had to be airlifted to a hospital.  While it is believed that the woman is currently alive, the extent of her injuries is not clear.  All we know is that when she was admitted to the medical facility her injuries were described as critical.

The officer involved in the crash is temporarily on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation by the Cocoa Police Department into the actions before and during the crash.  A piece of information left out of at least a few of the initial reports was whether or not the officer had activated their lights by the time they reached the intersection.  If the officer failed to do so, then the collision becomes more complicated.  Additionally, we do not know whether or not the pedestrian was crossing the street without the right of way or if their light was green at the time of the crash.  These factors are perhaps the most important pieces of information that investigators into the incident will examine as they continue with their work.

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.