OCALA, Fla. (AP) - A north Florida sheriff was cleared of wrongdoing in the death of an Ocala man whose stolen vehicle spun out of control during a high-speed chase after being bumped by the sheriff’s SUV.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement summary report and a grand jury found no wrongdoing in the July 23 incident involving Dixie County Sheriff Dewey Hatcher.
The crash occurred after 17-year-old David Newmeyer led police on a 70-mile chase. He had two passengers in the vehicle who were also injured in the crash.
Hatcher told The Gainesville Sun (https://bit.ly/1JetjUy ) that he feels terrible about the young man’s death, but was worried a longer chase could have injured bystanders.
Newmeyer’s grandmother Marie Newmeyer says she disagrees with the findings and wants to see the sheriff fired or jailed.
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Information from: The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun, https://www.gainesvillesun.com
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