‘Our hearts are heavy’: 30-year-old deputy killed in car crash while responding to domestic dispute

A Florida sheriff’s department is mourning one of its young deputies who was killed in car crash as he was responding to a domestic dispute, authorities said.

Broward sheriff’s deputy Benjamin Nimtz, 30, had his lights and sirens activated when he was heading to the call around 3 a.m. Sunday and collided with a pickup truck, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

A second deputy who had been following in a separate car witnessed the crash and immediately called for help, officials said.

WPLG

WPLG

Nimtz died at a hospital. He is survived by a wife and two children, authorities said.

Nimtz was hired in March 2018, according to the department.

The pickup truck driver, 32-year-old Darran Johnson, was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

While the cause of the crash has not been determined, the preliminary investigation has led police to believe Johnson was speeding and that his speed contributed to the accident, officials said. Investigators are awaiting the results of Johnson’s toxicology test, authorities said.

“Our hearts are heavy,” sheriff’s officials tweeted. “We ask for thoughts and prayers.”

Fellow Florida law enforcement departments took to Twitter to offer their condolences.