NCSO deputy involved in fatal crash

A 31-year-old Fernandina Beach man died Sunday afternoon after a Nassau County Sheriff’s Office SUV struck the car the man was driving.

The accident occurred in Yulee just before 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of State Road 200 and Daydream Avenue, according to a Florida Highway Patrol media release.

NCSO Director of Public Affairs Ashley Spicer did not provide the deputy’s name, citing Marsy’s Law, which “seeks to give crime victims meaningful and enforceable constitutional rights equal to the rights of the accused,” according to www.marsyslaw.us.

The 27-year-old deputy, who lives in Yulee, was approaching the intersection as he drove westbound on S.R. 200. The Fernandina Beach motorist was eastbound in the left turn lane to turn onto Daydream Avenue, according to the media release.

As the Fernandina Beach man was turning and crossing through the westbound lanes, the front of the SUV struck the right side of the car. The car’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Both motorists wore seatbelts, according to the FHP media release.

Sheriff Bill Leeper emailed a statement Monday afternoon.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that a NCSO deputy was traveling westbound on S.R. 200 just west of the intersection of Wildlight Boulevard, responding to a call for assistance from the Florida Department of Agriculture on a human trafficking case. Another vehicle was traveling eastbound on S.R. 200 and was attempting to make a left turn across the westbound lanes of S.R. 200 onto Daydream Avenue. That car turned into the path of the patrol car and was struck in the right side. The patrol car then overturned on the north shoulder of the roadway. The driver of the other vehicle died at the scene. The deputy was transported to (Baptist Medical Center Nassau) with minor injuries. The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. It’s heartbreaking when anyone is killed in a traffic crash. We want to send our prayers and condolences to the family who lost a loved one in this tragic, unfortunate accident.”

FHP Master Sgt. Dylan Bryan provided an update Monday morning on the investigation of the crash, which is ongoing.

“Fault has yet to be determined,” Bryan emailed. “The charges, if warranted, and to whom, will be issued at the conclusion of the investigation. The deputy was on duty, responding to a call when the crash occurred. Charges can vary drastically. That is why we cannot speculate on pending charges at this time.”

In a separate crash in Baker County Saturday morning, a 47-year-old Fernandina Beach man died after his dirt bike hit a tree in St. Mary’s Shoals Park.

The single-vehicle crash occurred just before 9:15 a.m.

The man was driving a dirt bike northbound on a dirt trail inside the park when he lost control of the motor bike, striking a tree. The man was transported to Ed Fraser Memorial Hospital in Macclenny and later died from his injuries, according to the FHP media release.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.