On Saturday, January 6, 2024, shortly before one a.m., a St. Petersburg Police Officer conducted a traffic stop with emergency lights activated on I-375, west of the 5th Avenue North entrance ramp.
As he was getting out of the police vehicle, a white Kia sedan struck the police vehicle, causing minor injury to the officer. He was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg and will be okay. No one else was injured.
The driver of the white Kia failed to stop at the scene and continued westbound. The Kia has damage to the right side of the vehicle.
Officers were able to locate the Kia and have the driver in custody. She has been identified as 24-year-old Mackenzie Paige Deaton.
She is charged with serious bodily injury, hit and run, tampering with evidence and citations, including failure to follow the Move Over law.
The bodycam video of the crash illustrates the importance of moving over when there is an emergency vehicle or disabled car on the side of the road.
The 5th Avenue ramp was temporarily closed during the investigation.