Trooper strikes and kills pedestrian in early morning crash

Early Saturday morning, just after 2:00 a.m., local Historic City News reporters received word that a Florida state trooper working a DUI detail in the area of US-1 South at SR-207, had turned around to pursue a motor vehicle he believed to be operating carelessly, and in doing so, he struck a pedestrian who was attempting to cross US-1.

The trooper involved, 61-year-old Kenneth Montgomery of St Augustine, was driving his department issued patrol car, a 2015 Dodge Charger, in the left travel lane of US-1 southbound.

The victim, 33-year-old Vincent Kinslow, also of St Augustine, was walking across US-1, from west-to-east, near the SR-207 intersection when he was struck by the front of Montgomery’s vehicle.  St Johns County Emergency Medical personnel responded to the scene and immediately stabilized the patient for transportation to Flagler Hospital only a mile or two away.  Kinslow succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Reports from the scene said the patrol card did not have it’s emergency blue lights flashing at the time of the crash. Montgomery has been a trooper since he joined the Florida Highway Patrol in 2014.

Charges are pending the outcome of blood samples taken at the scene and toxicology reports from the autopsy exam scheduled Monday.