Delray Beach

Delray Beach firefighter involved in Brightline crash investigated in 2023 crash

Delray Beach Fire Rescue Driver Engineer David Wyatt was one of the four fighters inside the engine that was caught on video driving around rail crossing arms with its lights flashing and onto the tracks around 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2024 in crowded downtown Delray Beach

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Delray Beach Police are looking into a 2023 crash that led to a firefighter having his license suspended, a year before that same firefighter was behind the wheel of a fire truck that drove into the path of a Brightline train, causing a crash that left 15 people hurt

Delray Beach Fire Rescue Driver Engineer David Wyatt was one of the four fighters inside the engine that was caught on video driving around rail crossing arms with its lights flashing and onto the tracks around 10:45 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2024 in crowded downtown Delray Beach.

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Besides causing injuries, the impact also left the fire truck severely damaged and on its side, and the front of the train smashed in.

Fifteen people were injured when a Brightline train crashed into a fire truck in Delray Beach

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This month, Wyatt and the others were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the results of an internal investigation. 

Wyatt had his driver's license suspended in October of 2023 after failing to complete a driving school, NBC affiliate WPTV reported.

A district court judge ordered him to attend the school after he drove onto a median on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach and hit a tree in June 2023. The citation said the crash caused about $26,000 in property damage.

On Thursday, police said they initiated an internal review of that 2023 crash, and released 16 minutes of bodycam footage of the incident. The audio was redacted. 

“Although the incident occurred while Wyatt was off-duty, the investigation aims to take a close look at the incident and ensure transparency and accountability,” police said in a statement. 

That crash happened the night of June 9, 2023, when Wyatt hit multiple traffic signs and then a tree in a center median behind the wheel of his Jeep Wrangler, authorities said. He was taken to Bethesda Memorial Hospital, police said. 

“A witness at the scene, identified as a friend of Wyatt, stated that [Wyatt] had been driving behind the Jeep when Wyatt suddenly lost control and veered over the median. Officer Nicholas Windsor conducted a DUI investigation at the hospital, where Wyatt exhibited red eyes and a head laceration but displayed no slurred speech," the police statement read. "Due to Wyatt’s medical condition and the unavailability of roadside sobriety tests, officers could not establish probable cause for a DUI charge. He was issued a citation for Careless Driving under Florida Statute 316.1925(1).”

According to city officials, the firefighters in the truck at the time of the Brightline crash all had valid and active licenses, but the train crash prompted an investigation into firefighters' drivers licenses

City Attorney Lynn Gelin said during a meeting after the crash that there were 10 people within the fire department without valid licenses, but the specifics were never discussed. 

“We did a DMV search of our employees – we found that there were issues,” Vice Mayor Juli Casale said.

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website, first responders are not required to have a special commercial license to operate a fire truck but they do need a valid license. 

 “I would assume any employee driving a city vehicle would have to have a license just so for us to even maintain our insurance,” Casale said.

“The integrity of our investigations is paramount, especially when they involve public safety personnel,” said Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager. “Our officers conduct thorough and impartial investigations, ensuring that all cases are handled with the same level of diligence and accountability. We are reviewing this case thoroughly to ensure protocols were followed and no procedural errors occurred in determining the appropriate legal course of action.”

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