Innocent driver killed in BSO crash after what witness describes as chase in Tamarac

A civilian driver was killed in a crash with a Broward Sheriff’s Office cruiser in Tamarac, according to BSO.

The crash happened just before midnight Monday near Northwest 31st Avenue and West Prospect Road, just west of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.

According to the sheriff’s office, the collision happened after a stolen vehicle was reported by the Margate Police Department and BSO spotted it in Tamarac. Authorities have not confirmed whether they were pursuing that vehicle.

“At some point, a crash occurred involving a BSO patrol car and a civilian vehicle,” authorities said. “A second crash involving the suspect’s vehicle occurred a short period later. The suspect was then taken into custody.”

The deputy, the civilian driver, a passenger in the civilian vehicle and the suspect were taken to a hospital.

The civilian driver did not survive. Their name was not immediately released.

The other people involved did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

Video showed the BSO cruiser crumpled and the front airbags deployed. A pickup truck was flipped on its side against a pole.

A witness at a nearby 7-Eleven said he heard cars zooming through the street before the loud boom of the crash.

“We saw like six cops coming, and they were chasing after one car as well,” he said. “And they were going through the intersection, and the car that was getting chased went through the intersection and passed through easily, and the cop behind him collided with a car that was making a left-hand turn.”

The sheriff’s office said it was investigating the crash, and that BSO’s Internal Affairs Unit has opened an administrative investigation into the incident.