Driver is released after arrest in deputy recruit crash that sheriff called ‘deliberate act’
Driver will not face felony charges
Driver was driving under the influence
Driver hit and killed three men during his first week of training
Driver was arrested and charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene
Driver is charged with three traffic violations including reckless driving
A deputy sheriff was injured in a traffic crash in Florida, authorities said, after the vehicle he was driving struck three men.
The driver, whose name was not released, was arrested in a traffic crash near Orlando after he was involved in a collision with two other vehicles.
A witness told police the driver swerved left and hit three men and a dog, and then fled the scene.
But then, it was on to something else:
The driver was charged with three traffic violations including reckless driving, leaving the scene and driving under the influence, according to police.
He was released and told to follow the law, which he did.
A spokesman for the Orlando police confirmed that the driver had a blood-alcohol level of.16, about twice the legal limit.
But officials cautioned that it was not clear whether the driver’s injuries were caused by the impact or exposure to the alcohol.
‘‘It is important to note that at this time we are not fully aware of the extent or nature of the injuries sustained by the deputy involved,’’ the Orlando Police Department said in a statement.
The driver, whose license was suspended, was a recruiter who had worked with Florida’s National Guard since 2004, according to the sheriff’s office.
His lawyer, Mark A. Aron, said the driver ‘‘made a bad choice, was impaired and was on his way to a job interview,’’ according to CNN.
Hospital: Authorities said a blood-alcohol level of.16 was found in the driver’s system after the crash
The police spokesman also said