# Officer Down: Phoenix Braithwaite - [Haines City, Florida]



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

08/03/2006
*Hit-and-run crash takes Fla. officer's life*

*Officer Down: Phoenix Braithwaite* - [Haines City, Florida]

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*Biographical Info*
*Age:* 24
*Additional Info:* Officer Phoenix Braithwaite had served with the Haines City Police Department for 10 months. He is survived by his wife and daughter. 
*I**ncident Details*

*Cause of Death:* Braithwaite died from injuries sustained in an automobile collision. *Date of Incident:* August 2, 2006

*Hit-and-run crash takes Fla. officer's life*

By Amber Smith
TheLedger.com


*HAINES CITY*, Fla.- As Miguel Gonzalez was led in handcuffs from the Haines City Police Department after his arrest in the hit-and-run death of Officer Phoenix Braithwaite, he admitted he was scared.

Speaking Spanish, Gonzalez, 43, said he fled the scene of the early Wednesday morning accident on U.S. 17-92 near the Polk and Osceola County line because he didn't have his driver license.

Gonzalez was driving a van northbound in the southbound lane, passing a semitrailer and a cement truck, when he struck head-on the motorcycle Braithwaite, 24, was driving. Braithwaite was thrown into the northbound lane and was run over by the two trucks. He was wearing a helmet.



*Full Story:*

*Hit-and-run crash takes Fla. officer's life*


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