Deputy Glanced at Laptop Prior to Palm Harbor Crash, Sheriff’s Office Says

PALM HARBOR, FL – The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Wednesday afternoon crash in Palm Harbor involving one of its own. One person was hospitalized after the collision.

According to the sheriff’s office, Deputy John Newman, 33, was on patrol when he was dispatched to perform a welfare check on Landmark Boulevard. Newman was in his agency marked 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe heading eastbound on Curlew Road when the call came in around 4:45 p.m. Oct. 12.

“When Deputy Newman passed the Landmark Drive intersection, he looked down at his laptop to obtain additional information on the dispatched call for service,” an email from the sheriff’s office said. “Deputy Newman did not see traffic stopping in front of him for the red light at Curlew Road and McMullen Booth Road.”

Newman’s cruiser struck the rear end of a Honda CRV stopped in front of him. The vehicle was driven by Anna Donaldson, 66. The impact caused the CRV to strike a Toyota 4-Runner driven by James Higgins, 34, the email said.

Donaldson was taken to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said. Newman and Higgins were not injured.

The sheriff’s office said speed and impairment were not factors in the crash. Newman was in non-emergency mode at the time, the agency noted.

The investigation into the crash remains active. No further information is being released at this time.

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