9 Investigates: Distracted driving to blame for uptick in deputy-involved crashes

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla — 9 Investigates uncovered hundreds of deputy-involved crashes in Orange County and an internal email within the department said many of the crashes happened because deputies were distracted behind the wheel.

The email said deputy-involved crashes were up 20 percent last year, and shows deputies were speeding and not wearing seat belts.

More than 1,000 patrol cars have been in accidents during the last 3 1/2 years.

Employees of the agency drive about 25 million miles a year, meaning there were about 1 1/2 accidents a day last year.

The Sheriff’s Office plans to start a new committee to look at crashes involving deputies.

The 20-member committee will look at the phones, computers and radios inside the cruisers.

The committee may recommend a change in technology, like adding Bluetooth, to keep deputies less distracted.

In the email, Bureau Chief Larry Zwieg writes, "A closer look revealed that many of these accidents appear to be the result of distracted driving. Several also appear to involve excessive speed. Even more alarming is the fact that in several of these accidents, the deputies were not wearing seat belts which resulted in significant injuries.”

According to the agency, in 2013, there were 316 agency vehicle crashes and in 2014 there were 336.

In 2015, the total reached 414.

“We are looking at the information, trying to determine what kind of distracted driving and what kind of technology is bringing it into the inside of the cab,” said  Angelo Nieves of the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The email said the radio, phones and computers cause distractions for deputies and that, in turn, is causing a major impact on the downtime of agency vehicles and personnel, along with causing thousands of dollars in lawsuits.

Some deputies said they don’t wear seat belts because sometimes their gun gets caught in it.

The Sheriff’s Office said it’s policy to wear a seat belt, but a deputy can take it off before stopping at a scene.

Cox Media Group