Woman accused of killing Florida deputy arrested for DUI manslaughter

Night Time Police Intervention in a check point for DUI

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Charlotte County, FL - A woman accused of killing a Charlotte County deputy during a crash on Tuesday has been arrested for DUI manslaughter.

The driver, identified as 30-year-old Cassandra Smith from Lakeville, Massachusetts, was arrested after the accident on I-75 and booked into the Charlotte County jail.

Police say Smith was driving a Jeep on the northbound lanes of I-75, just south of US-17, when she lost control of her Jeep and struck and killed a Charlotte County deputy.

According to investigators, a CCSO SUV was properly parked on the paved shoulder of NB-175 while a deputy performed a traffic stop of a Honda with his emergency lights activated.

The deputy and the driver of the Honda were standing outside of their vehicles when Smith lost control of her Jeep, veered from the left lane, crossed the center / right lanes, and entered the NB paved shoulder, crashing into the rear of the CCSO SUV and creating a secondary collision with the deputy, the Honda and it's driver.

Sheriff Bill Prummell says the deputy was taken to Shorepoint Health in Punta Gorda, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries.

The driver of the Honda was brought to an area hospital with minor injuries.

The identity of the deputy hasn't been released.

An investigation into the crash is ongoing.


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