On the same day, law enforcement officers who've died in the line of duty were being memorialized in front of the Capitol, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office lost one of their own.
48-year-old Officer Lance Whitaker was identified as the victim in a single car accident that took place about 4:30 am on Tuesday morning. He was responding to the scene of another vehicle accident when he ended up down an embankment on northbound I-295 near Alta Drive causing significant damage to his patrol car. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
It is believed at this time that weather played a role in the accident. Two troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol watched the accident unfold in front of them. The roads were slick in the morning. The accident is now being investigated.
Florida has suffered the loss of four law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in the last month. Tuesday also was the memorial for Highlands County Deputy William Gentry, 40, who was shot May 7 while investigating a dispute between neighbors.
Please keep Officer Whitaker's family, co-workers, friends and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in your prayers.
If you have lost a loved one in a serious accident, you have rights to compensation. We want to stand by your time during this difficult time for you and your family. You have rights and we can help. Call us today at Rubenstein Law at 1-800-FL-LEGAL.
Note: These posts have been created through the use of secondary sources, so the information provided has not been confirmed on an independent level. If you see information that needs correcting, please bring it to our attention and we will honor the post by correcting it or removing it.
Disclaimer: At our firm, we wish to honor the victims of these tragedies and give general information to the public about accident news. We do not wish to disrespect parties and do not want this information to be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. Do not rely on this information exclusively, and instead seek the help of a trusted attorney moving forward.
