Florida Police Officer Placed on Leave After Impaired Drivers Cause Deadly Crash
A Florida police officer has been placed on paid administrative leave following a deadly crash that killed two people. The officer had encountered two brothers arguing on a sidewalk, with their vehicle blocking a traffic lane, and observed indications that they may have been impaired. Despite these signs, the officer did not investigate a possible DUI or assess their level of impairment, allowing them to leave. Minutes later, the brothers were involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of SE Maricamp Road and SE 36th Avenue in Ocala. The crash resulted in the deaths of a 50-year-old woman and her 31-year-old son, who were in a black Mazda SUV. The brothers, aged 33 and 24, were in a dark red Dodge minivan and were taken to the hospital, with the older brother, who was driving, in critical condition. Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken has ordered an internal affairs investigation into potential policy violations. The primary officer involved is described as being new to the agency, having been out of f...
