3rd Florida Deputy Dies Days After Horrific Crash

UPDATE Nov 25, 2024 6:55 PM CST

A Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy died Monday, four days after a crash that killed two of his colleagues in the motorcycle unit. Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz had been in critical condition since the Thursday accident. "He put up a hell of a fight, but the injuries were so catastrophic that there was no way he was going to make it," Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said, per WPTV. No charges have been filed yet against the woman who hit all three deputies with her Jeep SUV, but the Florida Highway Patrol says its review of the crash will take up to 120 days to complete, reports the Palm Beach Post. Bradshaw said more than 7,000 people are expected to attend a Dec. 3 memorial service for the fallen deputies.

Nov 22, 2024 8:17 AM CST

Two Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies were killed and a third was fighting for his life Thursday after what Sheriff Ric Bradshaw says was a "horrific accident." The sheriff said the three motorcycle deputies were conducting traffic enforcement Thursday morning when one deputy had a problem with his motorcycle and all three pulled over to wait for assistance, ABC News reports. Bradshaw said a woman driving an SUV tried to pass another vehicle but "overcompensated" and hit the deputies on the grassy shoulder, sending all three "airborne in different directions," reports WFLA.

No charges have been filed against the driver, a 31-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, but investigators are trying to determine how fast she was going. Cpl. Luis Paez and Deputy Sheriff Ralph "Butch" Waller were pronounced dead at a local hospital. Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz was in critical but stable condition Thursday evening after surgery. "Hopefully he's going to make it," Bradshaw said. "But it's a bad crash."

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"I tell people all the time, you know, law enforcement, public safety and the military are the only professions when you leave the house and kiss your family goodbye, that might be the last time. And here's the example of it," Bradshaw said. "I'm sure that these deputies, not in their wildest dreams, thought that this was going to happen to them today." Vehicles from numerous law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol, joined a procession for the fallen deputies Thursday afternoon, the Post reports. (More Florida stories.)