Legal News for Florida Personal Injury Attorneys. A hit and run traffic accident fatally injured an off-duty police officer.
Police officer killed after being struck by van in fatal traffic accident.
Tallahassee, FL— Off-duty Tallahassee Police Officer, Mike Saunders, was tragically killed after being hit by a van early Saturday morning,December 12, 2009 as reported by WCTV news source. The driver of the Bowden’s Carpet Cleaning van, Guy Jones, 22, was allegedly driving the vehicle without authorization from the company near Paul Dirac and Orange Avenue when he struck the police officer, fatally injuring him.
Jones’ neighbor reportedly noticed the Chevrolet service van parked outside his home in the Willow Bend Apartment Complex. The badly damaged van was allegedly somewhat hidden and had an apparently missing bumper. A “bow tie” emblem, the passenger side mirror, a front blinker, as well as other debris left behind after the incident were found at the scene, according to the arrest report.
A Tallahassee police officer allegedly overheard a phone conversation between Jones and another individual in which he reportedly admitted that he was drinking at the time of the accident. Bowden’s attorney allegedly called the police after Jones reportedly told his employers at Bowden’s Carpet Cleaning that the van was damaged due to an accident in which he struck a dear the night before, though apparently Bowden did not believe the story. Jones subsequently lost his job after the incident. Charges are pending.
