VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said it is mourning the loss of a senior deputy who died after being struck by a van while riding a bicycle Sunday morning.
Deputies said Senior Deputy Frank Scofield, 58, lost his life after a driver failed to stop at the intersection of Tomoka Farms Road and Pioneer Trail, west of New Smyrna Beach.
Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood was extremely upset as he described what happened during a news conference Sunday.
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Fighting back tears, Chitwood said Scofield was killed doing what he loved.
“He was out there biking this morning, training to go up and do the 9/11 memorial ride Sept. 6-8 in New York,” said Chitwood.
He said Scofield was on Pioneer Trail around 7 a.m. when the driver of a white van hit him.
“The driver was doing 40 mph and went through the stop sign and hit Frank from behind,” he said.
Scofield suffered a head injury and never recovered.
Chitwood said, “It's a huge, huge loss for our community.”
The Florida Highway Patrol is handling the investigation and said charges are pending against the driver, a 75-year-old man.
“When I was at the scene, the driver was an older man, and his granddaughter was in the car,” said Chitwood.
Chitwood said Scofield had been a member of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office for 22 years.
“The pride and joy of his life was being a marine deputy. He loved being out in the water,” Chitwood said. “He loved his boat and he loved nothing more than when I would ask him to take someone out on a ride-along.”
Scofield was also a family man.
“He was taking a ride before church. They were going to knock out their morning workout because he and his wife were going to Sunday services after,” Chitwood said.
FHP said it is continuing to investigate what happened.
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