Neighborhoodtimes: Woman questions crash investigation

She was driving to pick up her prescription from Walgreens in Gulfport in October when she got into a car accident with a St. Petersburg police officer.

Ultimately, St. Petersburg police determined that Robinson had attempted to change lanes illegally and issued her a traffic citation.

But Robinson said Officer Michael Ward had been speeding when his unmarked police car crashed into hers as she was switching lanes. That information was included in a Gulfport report but not in the St. Petersburg police report.

Now, Robinson, 55, is determined to prove her innocence. St. Petersburg police say they acted routinely and Robinson is trying to avoid a blight on her driving record.

- St. Petersburg police investigated the crash, even though it took place in Gulfport.

- No witness statements were included in the St. Petersburg police crash report, including Robinson's.

- St. Petersburg police did not record the estimated speed of either driver at the time of the crash, despite Robinson's claim that Ward had been speeding.

St. Petersburg police spokesman William Proffitt said police did not include witness statements in their report because none of the parties in the accident were charged with a crime.

On Oct. 20, Robinson was driving her Nissan Altima east on 22nd Avenue S in Gulfport. She needed to pick up a prescription at Walgreens, so she prepared to make a U-turn near 54th Street S, according to a statement she gave Gulfport police.

She told police that she looked in her rearview mirror and was switching lanes when she saw a silver vehicle approaching rapidly from behind in the left lane. The approaching car slammed into the left rear end of her car.

More than a dozen St. Petersburg officers suddenly arrived. They told Gulfport police they would handle the investigation.

Gulfport police spokesman Lt. Robert Vincent said the law allows police departments to investigate traffic violations outside their jurisdiction if their agency's officer is involved.

Eileen Navarro said she didn't see the accident but came out of her boutique on 22nd Avenue S once she heard the crash.

"At one time I counted, and there were 18 officers. I said, wow, this is certainly a lot of officers for what seemed like a minor traffic accident," she said.

Robinson is set to appear in traffic court soon. If found guilty, her insurance company could hold her responsible for covering Ward's workers' compensation claim, said Diane Bailey, a St. Petersburg attorney representing Robinson.

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Comments on this article

by jimmy	11/16/07 05:10 PM
I know a cop in StPete and they drive fast because they are constantly responding from call to call. If I need a cop, I hope they get here fast. Also, unlike tv, they don't drive with their lights on all the time, only when they absolutely need to.

by kitty	11/15/07 04:18 PM
Lil Jit, if SP doesn't even have 18 cops on the force, who is driving all those SPPD cars at the downtown SP compound?

by frank	11/15/07 02:39 PM
they should have used the taser. stop resisting.

by Something Is Rotten Here...	11/15/07 11:40 AM
Notice what's missing? The names of the cops, a mention of possible dash-cam video, and any contact information for inquiries. All 18 SPPD cops, and their boss(es) should be fired for misconduct & unmarked cop car driver should face charges.

by kbd	11/15/07 09:25 AM
I agree with Mellie.... I believe there is a rat in the pack.

by John	11/15/07 03:48 AM
Perhaps the officer was speeding in his lane. It still requires the one making the lane change to do it properly and safely. Also I'm sure many of you would like the police to drive the speed limit in order to catch speeders and help those in need...

by Lil Jit	11/15/07 02:52 AM
I think the witness is lying!! At one time counted 18 police officers, hahahahahha, we dont have 18 officers for the entire city, nevermind at one accident scene!!

by Seth	11/15/07 02:37 AM
i had a cop hit my pregnant wife and left the scene when she called they told her no cop will show up to deal with a crazy hormonal woman- we had to pay for our own dr fees and and repairs to car and they refused to do a report

by SteveDean	11/14/07 09:59 PM
She is just lucky the police were nice and didn't taser her! She definitely deserved a tasering after being so disrespectful to the police like that. In fact, they should have tasered her twice just for daring to question their authority!!!

by Missy	11/14/07 09:31 PM
Some of these "good ole boys" are thick as thieves, disgraceful bunch. Good luck Jody, get a good lawyer. St. Petersburg community knows that some of the force isn't on the up and up.

by Menda	11/14/07 08:07 PM
Has anyone considered that they are BOTH at fault, and BOTH should be ticketed? She did a stupid thing and he was speeding. Cite them both for their wrong doing

by Betty	11/14/07 07:59 PM
You're right Mark-the person that hits a vehicle in the rear is at fault, because they have the duty to see what is in front of them,but what do you do when someone suddenly decides to do a u-turn in the middle of the road?GO TO A SAFE PLACE&TURN ARN

by Hmmm,	11/14/07 07:55 PM
U-turn. Taking the right lane and then changing lanes into the left lane. It doesn't matter if the vehicle in the left lane is a speeding bullet. That vehicle has the right of way. She had to wait for it to clear to change lanes safely. Guilty!

by Gregory	11/14/07 05:11 PM
Isn't there some sort of internal affairs that can handle this?

by JH	11/14/07 04:03 PM
This accident occurred out of the St. Pete police jurisdiction and involved one of their own. It is absolutely unethical for them to conduct the investigation, period.

by Josh	11/14/07 03:16 PM
18 Cops. Good thing there was no crime to fight. They're the true heroes in blue.

by JC	11/14/07 02:50 PM
Plain and simple - she changed lanes when she shouldn't have. Accept the responsibility.

by Jeff	11/14/07 02:48 PM
I've tried to report a badly driven police car. I had the car number and the time and location. The commanding officer refused to take the report because I didn't have a license plate or description of the driver. A car number & such is enough.

by Chad	11/14/07 01:52 PM
Police screw up just like civilians, however they can control the "story" and therefore releave themselves of any culpability...doesn't seem fair at all does it ? Maybe that's not the case this time, but we don't know, do we?

by Nick	11/14/07 01:42 PM
Now wait a minute. A car was fast approaching from her back left, but she nonetheless merged left anyway. Sounds to me like she cut the cop off. Just because it's clear directly next to you, doesn't mean it's ok to merge, you have to look behind you.

by Joe	11/14/07 01:34 PM
This lady needs to get the lawyersto subenoa the little recording box that is in her car and that of the officers and then she will now the speeds and can prove the officer was speeding.

by Joe	11/14/07 01:29 PM
With all the people here who are sure police are corrupt and our society is run by corrupt elites, you'd think we would have a revolution already. They're in power because YOU are weak. Ha!

by TT	11/14/07 01:24 PM
St Pete PD is the only agency in this area that is NOT state certified- hence the green shirts. State certified agencies wear BLUE or black shirts. St Pete is so messed up they can't even get certified.

by Ed	11/14/07 12:19 PM
Gang in blue. It's a disgrace.

by Bill	11/14/07 12:14 PM
I was once hit from behind by a Sheriff's deputy who was speeding. This article sounds very similiar with the way the accident was covered. I can tell you this lady is screwed. Plain and simple.

by brown	11/14/07 12:12 PM
Should have had the SO investigate, or at least the Gulfport Police. St Pete Police this smells to me. Do the right thing and dismiss the ticket.

by Guilty?! Not!	11/14/07 12:06 PM
Carol: 18 COPS showed up to a minor traffic accident and "took over" - who's really guilty here?

by Mark	11/14/07 12:03 PM
What ever happened to the idea that WHOEVER hits the other from behind is at FAULT? Cop or not!

by John	11/14/07 11:23 AM
Coverup or not, it's a conflict of interest....and the Police are awesome for this kinda thing...then they wonder why very few people actually respect them as a whole

by erin	11/14/07 11:15 AM
Why did she change lanes when someone was rapidly approaching in the lane she was moving into? Sounds more like she did something stupid and wants to Fight the Power.

by Obbop	11/14/07 11:05 AM
Just obey. Obey authority. The elite class has authority present to control you, to maintain the status quo. Just obey.

by steve	11/14/07 10:48 AM
Wow, am I the only one to see how stupid this is. Why would you let such a conflict of interest take place. Sounds like they need the State Police or another seperate entity to investigate.

by Marshall	11/14/07 10:45 AM
Gee, I wonder why there's so little respect for police nowadays.

by Mellie	11/14/07 09:48 AM
I smell a rat.

by Grant	11/14/07 09:45 AM
I'm glad someone is fighting back. I see cops, marked and unmarked cars, speeding, running lights, acting like morons, all the time, WITHOUT their lights on. Just because the are cops doesn't give them the right to break the laws they are to enforce!

Woman questions crash investigation

City police are investigating an accident involving their officer in Gulfport.