Pair of Clay County deputies resign amid investigation after one crashes his patrol car into his own home

A pair of deputies with the Clay County Sheriff's Office resigned this week amid a State Attorney's Office investigation after one crashed an agency vehicle into his own home Friday night while the other deputy was inside that home, according to authorities.

Nobody was injured in the crash although there were civilians inside with the deputy, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Mary Justino said in a release.

Michelle Flis called authorities after witnessing the crash on Drew Court in Middleburg and she said she was worried because she heard children screaming after the crash.

"I was panicked when I called 911," she said.

Glenn Ward, a patrol deputy - the driver of the car - was with the organization since 1998, and resigned Tuesday. Jack Bledsoe, a patrol deputy since 2006, resigned Wednesday, Justino said.

Bledsoe was in Ward's home at the time of the crash, according to the Sheriff's Office, but what he was doing there and who was with him was not explained by authorities.

"Our agency requested the State Attorney's Office in Jacksonville be the lead on the ongoing investigation into this crash and its causes," Justino said.

She said the Sheriff's Office is doing its own internal affairs investigation into the deputies even though they've resigned.

Flis lives on Penny Lane, at the corner of Drew Court where the crash happened - although the exact address was not released because law enforcement agency members' addresses are not public record.

Flis said she's known Ward for 13 years and he frequently drove through the subdivision on patrol, but he usually drove slowly with his interior light on.

She said a patrol car sped down Penny Lane on Friday night about 8 p.m. but she wasn't sure if it was Ward because the interior light was off.

Flis said she tried to wave down the patrol car but the driver slammed on the brakes, turned around and sped down Drew Court and into the house.

She said it was obviously intentional because the driver avoided an electrical box and several cars before plowing through a front window.

"They [investigators] asked me [what happened] and I told them he did not hit the brakes," Flis said.

She said Ward's children were in his home when he crashed into it, including one of the youngest right by the front door.

Authorities took Ward's gun during the crash investigation, Flis said.

She said he's always been a "friendly" neighbor and he was good with the neighborhood children at a block party a few months ago.

Anyone can have a momentary lapse of judgment out of anger, Flis said.

"I'm just happy he's not getting his gun back," she said.

Joe Daraskevich: (904) 359-4308