before i head to Land O Lakes, i leave you all with a treat
By Christa Jenkins-Desrets
Herald Writer
FORT WHITE - A speeder along County Road 238 in Fort
White had an unlikely accomplice early Sunday morning when a deer ran
into the road behind him, thwarting a Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy
who was in pursuit.
And while the story may sound like one of
uncommon occurrence, law enforcement officers and civilians alike have
recently been barraged by a large number of deer-related traffic
accidents, said Florida Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Lt.
Mike Burroughs.
“In the last two weeks, we’ve seen more deer
moving around than usual,” Burroughs said, noting that officers can
tell when deer are on the move by an increase in accidents.
Such was the case when Columbia County Sheriff’s Deputy Donald Braswell, 44,
crashed while trying to avoid a deer at 1:20 a.m. Sunday.
Braswell was traveling westbound on C.R. 238 near the intersection of Junction
Road when he clocked an eastbound vehicle traveling faster than the
posted speed limit.
Braswell turned around to pursue when a deer crossed directly into his path from the south side of the road.
Attempting to avoid collision, Braswell steered to the right, drove onto the
shoulder of the road and slid down the embankment, striking several
small bushes along the way.
His 2000 Ford came to a rest in a ditch, facing east.
Neither Braswell nor the deer were injured, but the Ford suffered about $1,000 worth of damage.
To avoid similar collisions, Burroughs said, area residents should be extra cautious on rural roads, especially at night.
Considering the number of deer in my parent's neighborhood, i think i'd better take his advice ^_^