Clearwater Police continue to investigate after a crash that resulted in damage to the rear of a police cruiser that was on-scene of an earlier minor traffic crash.
The secondary crash, involving the police vehicle, occurred in the northbound lanes of US-19 at Dimmitt Drive at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22, 2022.
Dennis Murphy was operating a 2011 Hyundai Sonata when he struck the back of the police vehicle. Murphy failed to move over which resulted in the collision. The initial impact resulted in the unoccupied police vehicle moving forward and striking a second police vehicle that was occupied. According to Clearwater Police, no officers were injured in the crash.
Murphy was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg as a trauma alert.
Dennis Murphy, age 57, has been charged with possession of heroin, possession of fentanyl and DUI causing property damage/injury. He also received a traffic citation for failing to move over for an emergency vehicle.
According to Clearwater Police, blood-test results showed he had multiple drugs in his system at the time of the crash. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on Friday, May 13, 2022.