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Case open on suspect hit by cruiser

The St. Petersburg department says it's too early to say whether officers made mistakes.

By CURTIS KRUEGER
Published November 1, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - Undercover Detective James Culberson watched as a man swung a pole into a gas station window in the wee hours of Saturday morning. And he watched when the man fled on his bicycle.

A few minutes later and nearly a mile away, police said, Culberson and the suspect converged, along with another officer driving a marked police sport utility vehicle. Culberson tried to tackle the man on the bike, but the momentum knocked Culberson back and sent the bicyclist swerving toward the SUV, which ran him over.

Darrell L. Ward, 38, remained in critical condition Monday at Bayfront Medical Center.

Police on Monday said it was too early to determine whether officers made mistakes in the case.

"It would be premature for me to answer that question," Assistant Chief Luke Williams said, because not all reports have been prepared and submitted to him.

Routine reviews of the incident were under way. Culberson was injured and had not yet returned to work, police spokesman Bill Proffitt said.

Proffitt provided more details Monday on how the incident unfolded:

Undercover officers in the department's special investigations unit had been watching areas of St. Petersburg that recently have suffered from "smash and grab" robberies.

Proffitt said Culberson was watching at 1:33 a.m. Saturday as a man took a pole and swung it at the window of a Citgo gas station, 2211 Fourth St. S. The man then fled on a bicycle.

Culberson called police communications and told the dispatcher that she would soon hear a burglar alarm from the business.

"We're following the guy that attempted to break the window out," Culberson said, according to a recording provided by the Police Department.

A few minutes later, police converged on Ward.

Canine Officer Ron Targaszewski was driving north on 11th Street S in his marked SUV when he saw Ward on a bike riding north. Proffitt said Targaszewski drove up toward Ward, rolled down the window and said, "Stop, or I'll let the dog loose."

By this time, Culberson also had arrived at the scene - Proffitt would not say how, saying he did not want to reveal investigative techniques - and was on foot. He approached Ward and "tried to tackle the guy," Proffitt said.

"Because the bicycle's got some momentum, the collision caused Culberson to fall back and caused the bicycle to veer left" toward Targaszewski, Proffitt said.

Targaszewski "slowed and swerved to the left but was unable to avoid the collision," according to an accident report released Monday. His SUV ran over Ward.

Proffitt said this report, like all accident reports involving officers, will be reviewed by Targaszewski's supervisors, who will conclude whether the accident was preventable. Officers can be disciplined for preventable accidents.

Culberson's supervisors will review his report on the burglary, as they do all felony police reports, and evaluate the investigative techniques used, Proffitt said.

Williams said he considered it likely that a "use of force" report would be filled out. No internal affairs complaint has been filed.

Department policy prohibits officers from pursuing fleeing motorists in nonviolent crimes. However, officers don't consider this a pursuit, Proffitt said.

[Last modified November 1, 2005, 05:02:03]