Florida Deputy Resigns After Crashing Patrol Vehicle While Watching Adult Videos

A former deputy has resigned amidst an investigation into an incident involving a patrol vehicle crash allegedly caused by his distraction with porn on his phone. According to reports from the sheriff’s office, the deputy's actions led to a violation of professional standards, including the misuse of electronic devices and failure to wear a safety belt.

The incident took place on County Road 435 near Creston Avenue, close to Sorrento, just before 2 p.m. The deputy rear-ended a vehicle that had stopped due to a school bus with activated lights in the opposite lane. Initially, the deputy claimed his brakes malfunctioned due to recent speed calibrations, but subsequent investigations revealed a different story.

Upon reviewing dash camera footage and body-worn camera recordings, investigators noticed the deputy was holding a cellphone in his right hand moments before the crash. Despite initially stating he was checking work-related text messages, it was later discovered that he was actually viewing inappropriate images or videos on his personal phone.

Further scrutiny of the footage revealed that the deputy did not remove his seat belt before exiting the vehicle, indicating a deliberate attempt to conceal his actions. Despite attempts to deflect blame towards technical issues, the deputy eventually confessed to the true cause of the crash – his engagement with explicit material on his phone.

During the investigation, the deputy admitted to viewing “pornographic material” on his personal phone, leading to a lapse in attention that resulted in the collision. He acknowledged that his behavior, including not wearing a seat belt as a tactical choice, was a violation of departmental policies.

Moreover, the deputy disclosed personal struggles, citing a challenging year and ongoing depression medication use. Despite these revelations, the former deputy has not faced criminal charges at this time.