Florida police chief dies when pickup hits a deer, then a tree, then burns, reports say

A North Florida police chief was killed in a deadly chain reaction that began when a deer stepped in front of his pickup truck.

Chief Anthony “Tony” Rickerson, 43, headed the Jasper Police Department.

The single-vehicle crash happened around 10:25 p.m. on Sunday, June 11, in Jasper, about 90 miles west of Jacksonville, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Investigators say a pickup truck was traveling north on County Road 143 when it struck a deer standing in the road.

The pickup “then exited the west side of the roadway and struck a tree before catching on fire,” the highway patrol said in a report. “The (driver) of the vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

A cause of death was not released. No other passengers were in the truck at the time, officials said.

An obituary reports the crash happened “near his home” off County Road 143, which cuts through farms and forests southwest of Jasper.

Jasper has a population of just over 4,100, Data USA reports, and Rickerson headed a department of about seven officers.

Rickerson’s funeral will be June 20, according to the Jasper Police Department.

“He has dedicated the last 13 years of his life to law enforcement, serving the citizens of Hamilton County to the best of his ability,” the department wrote in a Facebook post.

“Chief Rickerson leaves behind his wife and three children, as well as a multitude of law enforcement brothers and sisters.”

Rickerson is a former corrections officer who served 13 years with the Jasper Police Department. He became interim chief in August of 2021 and was appointed permanent chief in September 2022, according to his obituary.

Among those offering condolences were U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

“Our hearts ache for the entire law enforcement community, the Jasper Police Department, and most importantly, Chief Rickerson’s family and friends,” the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post.

“Chief Rickerson was a dedicated and passionate leader, committed to serving and protecting the citizens of Jasper.”

This story was originally published June 13, 2023 at 6:37 AM with the headline "Florida police chief dies when pickup hits a deer, then a tree, then burns, reports say."