Two deputies dead, 1 critically injured when SUV crashes into them in Palm Beach County
LOXAHATCHEE -- Two Palm Beach County deputies died and a third is in critical condition after they were hit by an SUV that had veered off the side of the road Thursday morning near Loxahatchee, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.
The crash occurred around 9 a.m. at 18000 Southern Boulevard, just west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, near Lion Country Safari.
The deputies were riding their department-issued motorcycles when they were struck by the SVU that had unintentionally gone off the side of the road, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Southern Boulevard was closed to traffic west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, including Lion Country Safari.
All three deputies were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach via Trauma Hawks where the two were pronounced dead.
Bradshaw said the injured deputy underwent surgery, and is in critical but stable condition.
The deputies had not been identified yet.
"I tell people all the time, law enforcement, public safety and military, when they kiss their family goodbye, it might be the might last time," Bradshaw said. "I'm sure deputies not in wildest dreams thought this would happen.
"When deputies die, a piece of community dies with them."
Bradshaw said he saw all three deputies at his party on Nov. 5 celebrating being elected to his fifth term as sheriff.
Bradshaw described to media what led up to the crash.
They were working traffic enforcement, clocking cars that were going eastbound on Southern.
One of the motorcyclists was on the side with a dead battery and the two others came over to assist. They were waiting for a PBSO vehicle to get a battery jumper while on the grassy area of the shoulder.
The woman, driving the SUV, veered to the right to get around a slow car when SUV went into the side of the road. She hit all the deputies, who went airborne.
"One of those things," Bradshaw said. "You over compensate. Tires get on the edge of the road."
Bradshaw said the driver was going the speed limit which is 55 mph. She suffered minor injuries, according to Bradshaw, who added she doesn't believe she was impaired.
Florida Highway Patrol is the lead agency investigating the crash.
At 1:45 p.m., a motorcycle escort of law enforcement personnel from several agencies took the deputies' bodies in ambulances from the hospital to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office.
One man was overwhelmed when he saw the number of officers to escort the fallen.
"These guys were taken in their prime," the man told CBS News Miami. "Why? It just don't make any sense."
PBSO posted on X by PBSO. "Please keep our PBSO family in your thoughts and prayers during this devastating time."
And Palm Beach County Fire Rescue posted: "We mourn alongside our PBSO Family after todays's horrific incident."
U.S. Senator Rick Scott posted on X:
"Just spoke to Sheriff Ric Bradshaw to let him know Ann and I are praying for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office team, the families of those who lost their lives and those who were injured. Our brave men and women in uniform willingly put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, but devastating news like this never ceases to catch us off guard."
