CCSO DEPUTY IN ACCIDENT

TWO PEOPLE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES SATURDAY AFTER NOON IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT INVOLVING A CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S VEHICLE. FORTY FOUR YEAR OLD SHERIFF’S DEPUTY VICTORIA SMITH WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND ON COHEN STREET AT ABOUT 2 PM AND STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT GULFSTREAM BLVD. SHE THEN CONTINUED ONTO GULFSTREAM BLVD INTO THE PATH OF A WESTBOUND CADILLAC DRIVEN BY SEVENTY FIVE YEAR OLD JAMES PETRO OF ROTONDA WEST. SMITH’S VEHICLE THEN ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY OF A RESIDENCE ON GULFSTREAM BLVD AND HIT A VEHICLE PARKED IN THAT DRIVEWAY, KNOCKING IT INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. PETRO’S VEHICLE ENDED UP IN THE FRONT YARD OF THE SAME RESIDENCE. BOTH DRIVERS WERE TAKEN TO PEACE RIVER HOSPITAL WITH MINOR INJURIES. SMITH WAS CITED FOR FAILURE OF RIGHT-OF-WAY FROM A STOP SIGN. ALCOHOL WAS NOT A FACTOR AND BOTH DRIVERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS.