Off-duty Manatee County sheriff’s deputy dies after crash on I-75, sheriff’s office says
A Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputy died after he was involved in a car crash on Interstate 75 on Sunday morning, according to the law enforcement agency.
The deputy, 22-year-old Antonio Hernandez of Bradenton, was a recent recruit to the sheriff’s office. Hernandez was off-duty when a collision with another vehicle on the interstate forced his car into a steel pole. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Hernandez had just completed deputy training and joined the sheriff’s office in July, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren, and he was assigned to the agency’s patrol division in November. Prior to that, Hernandez had worked at Palmetto Police Department.
“Antonio was a talented, hardworking deputy who showed professionalism and always had a smile,” Warren told the Bradenton Herald on Sunday. “He will be missed. Please keep the Hernandez family, friends, and his law enforcement family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Florida Highway Patrol investigated the crash on Sunday, which happened just before 5 a.m. on I-75 North near the exit for State Road 64.
Troopers say that a 72-year-old Bradenton man in a Chevrolet van was traveling northbound and approaching the S.R. 64 exit when he attempted to move one lane to the left. During the lane change, the left rear side of his van hit the front right side of Hernandez’s Chevrolet Camaro, according to FHP.
The collision sent the Camaro into a grassy median, where the car collided with a steel pole. The 22-year-old was transported to Manatee Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to FHP.
Troopers say Hernandez was not wearing a seatbelt.
The 72-year-old man was uninjured in the crash, according to FHP.
The accident remains under investigation.
On Sunday afternoon, local law enforcement agencies took to social media to recognize Hernandez.
“Our hearts are with the family of Deputy Antonio Hernandez and the Manatee (County) Sheriff’s Office during this difficult time,” Bradenton Police Department shared on social media.
The Sarasota Police Department, North Port Police Department and local Florida Highway Patrol troop also shared condolences.
This story was originally published December 20, 2020 at 1:34 PM.