Florida security officer transporting prisoner involved in wreck
LARGO FL July 5 2017 – A prisoner being taken to jail by a private security officer was injured Monday (July 3) when the transport van was rear ended, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said.
The driver, Janice Blue, 59, a security officer for G4S, and Lukasz Jan Tatarczuch, 34, of Clearwater, both suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening” injuries, the Sheriff’s Office said. Both were transported to the hospital.
G4S Security has a contract with Pinellas County jail to transport prisoners for them.
Sarah Pilla, 26, of Clearwater, was cited for careless driving, deputies said.
The crash happened about 1 p.m. at the intersection of 49th Street N and 144th Avenue. Blue was driving a sheriff’s 2009 Chevrolet prisoner transport van that was stopped at the red traffic light on 49th. A 2005 Dodge Durango driven by Pilla was behind the transport van slowing to stop for the same red traffic light.
When the traffic light turned green, deputies said, Pilla was distracted when she looked down at her cell phone. The Dodge rear-ended the transport van.
Deputies said impairment and speed were not factors in the crash.
Before the crash, Pinellas deputies had arrested Tatarczuch and charged him with driving while driver’s license suspended and revoked. Tatarczuch was being transported by G4S Security to the Pinellas County Jail for the criminal charge.
Both vehicles sustained minor damage.
