Woman struck, killed crossing North Federal Highway

Broward Sheriff's Office deputy hit woman

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A woman was struck and killed early Wednesday morning in the 6300 block of North Federal Highway. 

John Adams identified the woman as his wife Helen. He said a Broward County Sheriff's patrol car hit her. Police haven't confirmed her name, only saying she was a 46-year-old woman, and identified the man she was with at the time of her death as her boyfriend.

Just after 3 a.m., Adams and his wife were crossing the street to go to a 7-Eleven convenience store. He said the cruiser was not its flashing emergency lights or using its sirens.

"He never tried to turn around or swerve around her or nothing," Adams said. "He just ran straight over her. She flew 10 feet in the air and landed on her head."

The couple had just left Imperial Point Medical Center when the woman was hit, he said. She told him she had chest pains, but they didn't go inside the medical center because she started feeling better after taking her medication. 

The woman was taken to North Broward Health, where she died, according to BSO.

Investigators said BSO Corporal Jeffrey Bates was on his way home and that the couple wasn't using the crosswalk.

"He took my wife's life, so now I want him to suffer," Adams said. "I don't want him to be a police officer anymore. He ran her over."

Bates was hired by BSO in March 2002 and is assigned to the Pompano Beach district, according to the agency. He has had one preventable crash since then.


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