Confusion Over Location Leads to Response Delay

The victim of a single-vehicle auto accident in North Port (Fla.) lay undiscovered outside his truck for almost 24 hours, after a dispatcher was apparently confused by the street names given by a 911 caller who drove by the accident scene. Police chief Terry Lewis said dispatcher Nadia Kashitskaya had been put on paid leave while the incident is investigated. He said a motorist dialed 911 at 11:38 p.m. on Friday night after seeing the accident on a mostly rural roadway. The caller described the cross street correctly, but had trouble describing the second street. The caller believed it was “Lovebird” or “Lovesong,” when it fact it was “Lovering.” For some reason, the dispatcher did not create an incident and have officers investigate that night. The same caller called 911 again at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday to again report the accident, and this time officers responded to find the victim dead. Read more about the incident and listen to the first 911 call here.