MIAMI, FL—A 10-year Broward County Sheriff’s deputy lost his life in an off-duty motorcycle accident in Oakland Park on New Years Day, according to information provided by WSVN. Reports appeared to suggest the off-duty BSO deputy suffered fatal injuries upon colliding with a vehicle at the intersection of Commercial Boulevard and Northeast 3rd Street.
John Blackwelder, a 45-year-old father of two and 10-year veteran of the BSO, was riding his motorcycle along westbound Commercial Blvd. when Stanjka Vangov—the driver of an unspecified vehicle—attempted to make a last-minute turn onto NE 3rd St in Oakland Park.
According to Sheriff Al Lamberti of the Broward Sheriff’s Office, “He attempted to avoid vehicle, but unfortunately he couldn’t… But again, a very, very tragic day for us at the Broward Sheriff’s Office.”
While Vangov seemed to have escaped injury in the Oakland Park traffic crash, the off-duty BSO officer was not so fortunate. Blackwelder succumbed to his traumatic injuries at the scene of the deadly motorcycle wreck.
Vangov told reporters, “I said, ‘My God, I think I could make it, to cross, and I don’t make it… He hit my right back door. ‘Boom!’ Like explosion… Of course I wish, I wish I never get out of house today. I wish I never get out of house. That’s how I feel.”
“I’m really sorry what’s happened- person lose life. I’m really sorry,” the driver added.
Jeffrey Sheets evidently spoke to WSVN reporters at the scene of the fatal motorcycle accident and was quoted saying, “They don’t look out for us guys on motorcycles. All it takes is a just a second to look to see us… People just absolutely pull right out in front of us…. We sat and we prayed for him, because it was the best we could do.”
According to statistics provided via the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which was created by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a total of 4,595 motorcycles were involved in fatal traffic accidents throughout the nation during the year 2009. Of those motorcycles, 431 were involved in fatal Florida crashes.
BSO detectives are expected to conduct a full investigation into the fatal traffic accident. No charges have been filed as of yet.
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