Remark on 911 Call Sparks FHP Investigation

An off-hand remark by a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) driver about a motorist has led to an inquiry, officials say, although they won’t name the dispatcher or provide any details. FHP officials did release logging tapes of 911 calls that reported an erratic driver on the I-295 Buckman Bridge near Jacksonville in February. Several persons called to report the car, which moments later swerved into an SUV, which flipped off the bridge into the water. The driver of the vehicle died. At one point, an FHP dispatcher was talking to a Jacksonville County sheriff’s dispatcher, and stated, “I wish that guy would go home.” In fact, a witness followed the Honda driver as it continued across the bridge to the driver’s home. However, it isn’t clear from the tape if the FHP dispatcher was referring to the suspect driver or the witness. Officials said their inquiry would look into the response time and to the dispatcher’s remark. Read more here, and listen to the logging tapes.