(This story was updated with new information.)
WELLINGTON — Two Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies died and a third sustained critical injuries when an SUV swerved into them as they prepared to jumpstart a stalled motorcycle along Southern Boulevard.
Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the SUV was trying to avoid a car that had begun to slow in front of it. The driver swerved into the grassy area where the deputies stood with the department-issued motorcycle, waiting for another deputy to bring jumper cables.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately release the names of the deputies. Teri Barbera, an agency spokesperson, said the two who died had been with PBSO for 36 and 18 years. The one who was injured had been with the agency for 20.
The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries. While an investigation is still underway, Bradshaw said the driver did not appear to be impaired or speeding at the time of the crash.
Related: PBSO deputy injured in incident at checkpoint near Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach
Where did the crash occur?
The crash occurred in the 18000 block of Southern Boulevard, just west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, near the Lion Country Safari wildlife park and about 15 miles west of Palm Beach International Airport.
Emergency crews flew the deputies to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, the closest Level 1 trauma center.
First responders blocked traffic in both directions on Southern Boulevard, the county’s main east-west highway. Their investigation is expected to continue into the evening.
The county school district warned parents that buses may be delayed and encouraged families to pick their children up at their schools at their normal dismissal times.
Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputies man a roadblock at the intersection of Southern Blvd. and Seminole Pratt Whitney Road November 21, 2024 in Palm Beach County. Several PBSO deputies were involved in an accident. Two were killed and another is in serious condition.
Which agency is leading the investigation into Thursday’s fatal crash?
The Florida Highway Patrol will lead the investigation, as often happens when officers at a law-enforcement agency are involved in a crash or shooting.
The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death. In a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter, the Medical Examiner’s Office described the incident as an ongoing criminal investigation, but law-enforcement authorities said Thursday they were not aware of any pending criminal charges against the driver.
When did the crash in Loxahatchee take place?
Thursday morning’s fatal crash came nearly 17 years to the day that sheriff’s deputies Jonathan Wallace and Donta Manuel died while trying to stop a speeding driver in The Glades.
On Nov. 28, 2007, several deputies were chasing a suspected car thief on State Road 715 near the Pahokee airport when Wallace and Manuel laid down ‘stop stick’ tire deflation devices designed to slow or stop a motorist.
They are among five deputies in PBSO’s history who were struck and killed by vehicles.
Staff writers Julius Whigham II, Holly Baltz and Hannah Phillips contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: PSBO to hold news conference on car crash that killed 2 deputies
