Crime & Safety
Deputy Injured in Crash with Elderly Driver
Investigators say the deputy had his emergency lights and siren turned on, when his cruiser was hit by a 2012 Chrysler 200 driven by an 81 year-old Clearwater man.
A Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy was injured in a crash Sunday night while attempting to follow a driver suspected of committing a traffic violation.
Deputy Jason Howard, 41, was eastbound in the left turn lane of Alderman Rd. at Belcher Rd. when he saw a driver commit a traffic violation at 9:33 p.m. The left turn lane had a red light, so Howard turned on his emergency lights and siren and looked to make sure the intersection was clear, according to investigators. As Howard made the left turn, his cruiser was hit by a 2012 Chrysler 200 driven by 81 year-old Charles Haenig of Clearwater. Haenig was driving his car in a southbound lane of Belcher Rd. at the time of the crash.
Haenig's car hit the driver's side rear door of Howard's cruiser. The deputy was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for non life-threatening injuries. Haeinig suffered minor bumps and bruises, according to investigators.
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The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has not released any information regarding traffic citations in connection with the crash.
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