New Year’s Day crash sends deputy to hospital

Deputy Thomas Bickhart spent New Year’s Day in the hospital this year after the patrol car he was driving crashed with a silver Volkswagon near the intersection of US-1 and SR-312.

According to the incident report provided to Historic City News, at about 2:15 a.m. Friday morning, Bickhart was traveling westbound in the outside lane of SR-312; traveling through the intersection under a green light.

He had almost cleared the outside southbound lane of US-1 when the driver of a silver gray Volkswagon ran a red light and struck the right rear of the 2014 Ford Police Interceptor sedan with the front right end of the vehicle.

Bickhart’s patrol car rotated clockwise from the force of the collision; coming to a final rest facing southeast in the roadway.

The Volkswagon fled the scene of the crash headed southbound on US-1. Bickhart attempted pursuit, but his vehicle was disabled from damage sustained in the crash.

Emergency medical personnel with St Johns Fire Rescue transported Deputy Bickhart to Flagler Hospital with minor injuries.

Deputies and troopers began searching for the hit-and-run vehicle, without success. If you have any information as to the whereabouts of the Volkswagon, believed to have heavy front end damage, or know any further information about this crash, contact the Florida Highway Patrol at 1-800-395-8248 or St Johns Sheriff’s Office at 904-824-8304.