A sergeant is facing potential disciplinary action after hitting two young women with a patrol car at Daytona Beach on Memorial Day. The sergeant, whose name has not been disclosed, was cited for careless driving following the incident. The women, both 18 years old, were sunbathing on the sand near Daytona’s coastal hotels when they were struck by the patrol car around 2:30 p.m. local time. The women, who had traveled from Kissimmee, were taken to a hospital, with their conditions reported as stable as of Wednesday morning.
In addition to the careless driving citation, the sergeant may face further discipline after Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue reviews all the facts. The incident is under investigation by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. The collision between government-operated or publicly-owned vehicles and beachgoers has been an ongoing issue, with incidents reported at various tourist beaches in Florida and across the United States. According to the law firm McQuaid & Douglas, there have been multiple accounts of beach patrol cars running over sunbathers, including three incidents on Pinellas Beach near St. Petersburg in the past two years.
Concerns about the safety of beachgoers and whether vehicles should be allowed on beaches have been raised previously in Volusia County, particularly after two 4-year-old children were killed in an incident in 2010. Similar incidents have drawn national attention over the years, with some occurring in California. In 2019, a woman was injured after being struck by a Los Angeles Police Department patrol cruiser on Venice Beach while sunbathing. Another woman was seriously injured by a lifeguard driving a Los Angeles County-owned vehicle at the same beach. These incidents highlight the potential dangers of vehicles on beaches and the need for increased safety measures.
Tragic incidents involving vehicles and sunbathers have occurred in other parts of the country as well. In San Francisco, a woman was killed by a maintenance vehicle while lying in a park with her 11-month-old child. The employee driving the vehicle was charged with manslaughter, ultimately receiving community service and a brief jail sentence. These incidents serve as a reminder of the risks associated with vehicles on beaches and the importance of enforcing strict safety protocols. As the investigation into the Daytona Beach incident unfolds, authorities will likely work to determine the cause of the collision and take appropriate action to prevent similar accidents in the future. The safety of beachgoers remains a top priority, and steps must be taken to ensure their well-being while enjoying the sun and surf.
