Will criminal charges be filed in the fatal accident involving the deputy? Here’s what FHP tells us

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol said Friday it is unclear whether any criminal charges will be filed against an individual. Pennsylvania woman who crashed into three senior Palm Beach County deputies a day earlier tragically killed two of them.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office identified the dead deputies as Deputy Ralph “Butch” Waller, an 18-year veteran of PBSO, and Corporal Luis Paez, who had been with the agency for more than three decades.

A third lawmaker, Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, is in critical but stable condition and is scheduled to undergo another surgery on Friday.

The Florida Highway Patrol said deputies were standing on the shoulder of Southern Boulevard just west of Pratt Whitney Road in Seminole at approximately 9:30 a.m. Thursday when a Pennsylvania woman born in 1993 approached a Jeep SUV. There was a “slower vehicle” in front of him that “suddenly” veered onto the shoulder and hit the deputies.

FHP Lt. Indiana Miranda said Friday that no criminal charges have been filed against the driver of the Jeep at this time, adding that he was cooperating at the scene.

WPTV

“We did not have such a feeling or probable cause to believe that this person was disabled at the time of the accident,” Miranda said.

The results of the driver’s blood tests are awaited.

As for traffic-related violations, Miranda said FHP’s Traffic Homicide Unit will determine whether the woman committed any misconduct, such as speeding, careless or careless driving.

“We have to look at all the evidence. We have to take it all back,” Miranda said. “Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen overnight.”

WATCH: FHP gives update on fatal crash involving deputy

FHP provides update on investigation into fatal crash involving deputy

Investigators at FHP, the lead investigative agency for the tragedy, measured everything from vehicle speed to impact force to determine whether anyone was at fault, Miranda said.

“Based on the impact on vehicles, we can actually make calculations and equations regarding the speed of that vehicle,” Miranda said. “How were the motorcycles positioned at that time? Where were the MPs standing?”

NBC 6

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw called the incident a “terrible accident” and said Thursday that deputies were conducting traffic enforcement on Southern Boulevard and running radar on eastbound vehicles.

While they were working, one of the deputies had trouble restarting his motorcycle and thought the battery was dead. This prompted the deputy to call two other deputies to help move the bike out of the way.

After a while they were shot.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, WPTV

The female driver did not appear to be impaired and suffered only minor injuries in the crash, Bradshaw said.

“When an MP dies, a part of the community dies with them,” Bradshaw said. “Difficult.”

Hours after Thursday’s devastating crash, hundreds of law enforcement officers from across South Florida attended a march for fallen deputies as bodies were dumped in St. Louis. He was taken from St. Mary’s Medical Center to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will plan funeral arrangements for next week, Bradshaw said.

“It’s terrible. It’s the trauma we endure every day in our jobs,” Miranda said.

Thursday’s tragedy was Miranda’s fifth line-of-duty death in just two years.

“It was really heartbreaking to see those deputies there. Just to see the pain they felt for their partners,” Miranda said.

As of now, Miranda said this is an accident investigation, not a criminal investigation. FHP is asking anyone who has dashcam video of the moments before or after the crash to send it to the agency.

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