Ignacio “Dan” Diaz Obituary, Death – A South Florida sheriff’s deputy has died from injuries sustained in a crash last week that also claimed the lives of two of his colleagues. Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, aged 51, succumbed to his injuries on Monday. He was one of three Palm Beach County deputies involved in a tragic accident that occurred last Thursday while they were conducting traffic enforcement near Wellington, west of West Palm Beach.
Diaz, along with Cpl. Luis Paez, 58, and Deputy Ralph “Butch” Waller, 54, were working roadside on a busy highway when the incident occurred. The deputies had stopped to address a mechanical issue with one of their motorcycles, and they were standing on the shoulder of the road. As they were attempting to restart the bike, a driver of an SUV, who was trying to navigate around another vehicle, lost control and crashed into the group of deputies.
All three officers were transported to a nearby hospital following the crash. Tragically, both Paez and Waller were pronounced dead that same day, while Diaz, who was critically injured, passed away several days later. Diaz’s death marked the third casualty from the accident. The identities of the officers were confirmed by Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
The driver of the SUV, who struck the deputies, was not immediately identified by authorities, and no charges have been filed at the time. Sheriff Bradshaw mentioned that the crash’s cause remains under investigation, and there is still uncertainty about whether speed played a role in the incident. However, it was determined that the driver did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the collision.
The tragic event has devastated the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the local community. The sheriff’s office has not yet provided further details about the crash as the investigation is ongoing.