A suspected drunk driver crashed into three patrol vehicles late Saturday night, injuring two St. Lucie County deputies and a Fort Pierce police officer during a felony traffic stop. The officers, who were conducting an unrelated investigation on U.S. 1 near 25th Street, have since been released from the hospital.
Body camera footage shows the suspected driver, 45-year-old P P, slurring his words as officers approached. Investigators say P, who has prior DUI charges, failed to notice the patrol cars’ flashing lights before slamming into them.
P was booked into custody on six counts of DUI with injury and property damage, as well as one count of refusing to submit to a DUI test. St. Lucie County Sheriff K P described the crash as entirely preventable.
“They’re on a hill that’s not even crested yet, so you could see this a mile away,” P said. “Alcohol clearly played a factor in this.”
Florida law requires drivers to move over or reduce their speed by 20 miles per hour when passing a vehicle on the shoulder with flashing lights. P urged the public to take these rules seriously and especially to not drive under the influence.
“We will probably put you in jail if we catch you,” P said. “Everyone knows the difference between right and wrong. You just don’t do it.”
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Source: wpbf
