2 deputies killed, 1 critically injured in 'horrific' crash in Florida: Sheriff's office

Two deputies are dead and a third is in critical condition following a "horrific crash" in Florida, authorities said.

The incident, which occurred Thursday morning on Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach County, involved three motorcycle deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office who were conducting traffic enforcement at the time, the sheriff's office said.

One of the deputies had trouble getting his motorcycle started and called the two others over to help him move the bike off the road, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

The deputies were waiting for further assistance on a grassy area off the road when a woman driving eastbound in the center lane tried to pass a vehicle and "overcompensated," striking all three, he said.

"All three went airborne in different directions," Bradshaw said during a press briefing Thursday afternoon.

The deputies were transported to a local hospital, where two were pronounced dead, Bradshaw said.

They were identified by the sheriff's office as Cpl. Luis Paez, who had served as a motor deputy for more than two decades after originally joining the office in 1988, and Deputy Sheriff Ralph "Butch" Waller, who served in the motor unit for more than 18 years.

The third -- deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz, who joined the office in 2004 and has been on the motor unit for more than 10 years -- had surgery and remains in critical but stable condition, he said.

"Hopefully he's going to make it," Bradshaw said. "But it's a bad crash."

The sheriff's office is investigating the crash along with Florida Highway Patrol.

The female driver suffered minor injuries, Bradshaw said. It does not appear she was impaired, based on the preliminary investigation, he said. Investigators have not yet determined what speed she was traveling, he said.

No criminal charges have been filed, authorities said.

A procession of law enforcement officers from across South Florida escorted the deceased deputies from the hospital to the county medical examiner's officer, West Palm Beach ABC affiliate WPBF reported.

"I tell people all the time, you know, law enforcement, public safety and the military are the only professions when you leave the house and kiss your family goodbye, that might be the last time. And here's the example of it," Bradshaw said. "'I'm sure that these deputies, not in their wildest dreams, thought that this was going to happen to them today."

"When a deputy dies, a piece of the community dies with them. It's tough," he added.

Bradshaw said the deputies were involved in Donald Trump's police escort on election night. The president-elect was at his campaign headquarters in West Palm Beach that night.

Florida Sen. Rick Scott said he has spoken to Bradshaw in the wake of the crash.

"Our brave men and women in uniform willingly put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe, but devastating news like this never ceases to catch us off guard," Scott said in a statement on X.