Over the weekend, a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 1 led to a collision involving a suspected drunk driver and law enforcement officers. The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office and Fort Pierce Police Department reported that two deputies and one officer were conducting a stop when a vehicle, driven by 45-year-old Perry Peables of Vero Beach, crashed into a cruiser, which then struck additional vehicles and injured the officers. Notably, at around 11:25 p.m., the deputies and officer were outside their vehicles on the side of the road as this took place, according to WPTV.
Authorities found an open container of alcohol in Peables' vehicle, and officers reported his speech was slurred during the interaction. St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson told First Coast News, "At the end of the day, this individual, Mr. Peables, should have never gotten behind the wheel and should've never struck our deputies. That could have easily been avoided had he not been drinking and driving."
Perry Peables, who has a previous DUI conviction, was charged with six counts of DUI with property damage and injury and refusal to submit to DUI testing. His arrest follows a tragic incident in which three Palm Beach County deputies were killed in a similar situation. In a statement to WPTV, Pearson stressed the importance of following "Move Over" laws, especially as local roads become busier with new residents.
The deputies and officer involved in the crash were hospitalized but have been released and are expected to make full recoveries. Addressing the injuries sustained by the law enforcement officers, Sheriff Pearson said in an interview with CBS12, "They're bloodied. Their hands were cut, they had bruises all over themselves."
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the incident to bring further details to light about the crash's circumstances.
