Stuart Nurse Paralyzed in Head-On Crash; Charges Delayed After Paperwork Error
Florida Highway Patrol submitted affidavit to wrong office, causing a nearly three-month delay in filing DUI-related charges, state attorney says
WHAT HAPPENED: A Stuart registered nurse was seriously injured — and left paralyzed — after a head-on collision last November with a driver authorities suspect was intoxicated.
CHARGES OR ACTION: No criminal charges have been filed as of the time of reporting, according to State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl. Bakkedahl said the delay stems from two factors: the suspected at-fault driver was hospitalized in an intensive care unit following the crash, and the Florida Highway Patrol submitted the original arrest affidavit to the wrong office within the circuit. "The problem is that the original affidavit was submitted by the Florida Highway Patrol to the wrong office in my circuit," Bakkedahl said, in the only verbatim quote available in the official record. The paperwork error caused a delay of nearly three months in the charging process.
WHERE: Stuart. A specific street or intersection was not identified in the official record.
WHAT RESIDENTS SHOULD KNOW: The victim's family has retained legal counsel and a civil lawsuit has been filed against the suspected driver. Charges in the criminal case are pending.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW: The identity of the suspected driver, the specific location of the crash, the exact charges expected to be filed, and a projected timeline for the state attorney's office to act have not been confirmed in the official record.
This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.