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Sheriff's Capt. Resigns To Avoid Investigation

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A high-ranking sheriff's captain has retired rather than face an internal investigation.

Captain Alan Osowski drove his son away from a fatal accident scene on Thanksgiving night. The captain's mother was killed in that crash. Peggy Osowski died when her grandson, driving a Honda Civic, turned into the path of another car.

Investigators never got a chance to see if Michael Osowoski was driving under the influence.

Alan Osowski's 29 years with the sheriff's office ended abruptly with a retirement letter he said he was submitting with mixed emotions. The letter is dated the same day the sheriff told him he was the subject of an internal investigation.

"It's up to us to make sure, no matter what, that we follow the protocol, that we do it right," Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson said.

Osowski kept deputies from following protocol when he took his son away from the accident scene at a DeBary intersection Thanksgiving night. They needed to do a blood test on Michael Osowski, who was driving in what witnesses said was a violent crash.

Alan Osowski took his son to the hospital in Orange City, the sheriffs office said, to check on his mother, but deputies couldn't find him at the hospital or at home, or even at local motels.

The next day, the sheriff personally asked the state attorney to investigate.

As the captain of the District 6 office, Osowski was making $86,000 a year and had only minor reprimands on his record. Discipline or demotion could have affected his pay and pension. The retirement stopped any internal investigation from happening.

"His momma's involved in a fatal wreck. His son's there. He's daddy. But we still have to take, we have to take and maintain credibility and do the right thing for the Volusia County Sheriffs Office," Sheriff Johnson said.

If investigators find Osowski committed a felony directly related to his official duties as an officer, he could still lose his pension. An internal investigation could be reopened if the State Attorney's Office finds anyone else is responsible for what happened.

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