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Deputy gets suspension over road rage incident
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer
A corrections officer was suspended for 10 days without pay after he tried to run his ex-girlfriend off the road in October, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. An internal affairs report released Thursday said that Deputy Kurt Gardner, 38, was involved in a road rage incident with two other corrections deputies -- Kimberly Shaw and Jesse White -- on the night of Oct. 18. All were off duty. Shaw told sheriff's detectives that White had just driven her home from a party in her car when Gardner arrived and partially blocked the driveway. White was able to drive around Gardner, who got into his car and chased them for about 20 minutes. Later, Shaw and White went back to her house, and Gardner showed up again, the report states. The two deputies drove away and Gardner chased them, trying to force them off the road several times, the report states. During the chase, the deputies were traveling up to 70 mph, the report states. White and Shaw lost Gardner. But once more, Gardner spotted the pair and gave chase, the report states. White pulled into a Sheriff's Office parking lot on Little Road in New Port Richey and Gardner drove away. White said he did not call 911 because he did not want to get Gardner into trouble. He said he told Shaw the next day that she needed to report the incident to her supervisor. Initially, Gardner said he was supposed to meet Shaw the evening of Oct. 18 and got angry when he saw another person in her car. He said he followed them but at a safe distance. But a sheriff's detective had Shaw call Gardner and taped their conversation. In it, Gardener admitted to chasing her and trying to run her car off the road. After hearing the tape, Gardner admitted to chasing the deputies. Gardner, who has worked at the Sheriff's Office since 1990, said he "definitely was not thinking" when he chased the pair and finally came to his senses that evening. Sheriff's supervisors said his conduct was unbecoming. Along with his suspension, Gardner must take an anger management course. State prosecutors said the case lacked sufficient evidence to substantiate an aggravated assault charge. -- Jamie Jones covers crime in Pasco County. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6245, or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6245. Her e-mail address is jjones@sptimes.com.
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