PORT STREET LUCIE, Fla. — A 30-year-old Lauderhill man is facing 12 charges in connection with a 26-year-old Florida Highway Patrol trooper and truck driver who was killed Friday morning.
Michael Anthony Addison was taken into custody at the St. Lucie County Jail on Friday at 9:21 p.m., and made his first appearance Saturday morning in Port St. Lucie for a 4 1/2-minute hearing via Zoom.
Assistant State's Attorney David Dodd confirmed Addison was the suspect in Friday's murder.
See first appearance
30-year-old man charged in death of FHP officer and truck driver
The charges related to the incident in Port St. Lucie are two counts of murder of a person. Two counts of killing a person with a vehicle. 2 cases of dangerous corrupt individuals without planning. Activate the lights and sirens to escape and evade. If you cause a fatal accident while driving with a suspended license. Resisting a police officer with violence. It got worse and he died.
The two charges are related to warrants for aggravated assault and felon in possession of a firearm in Broward County.
The judge ordered him held without bound on all but three charges.
Charles “Tony” Schwab, chief judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit, said he will initially be represented by a public defender.
An arrest report has not yet been released, but spokeswoman Tonya Woodworth told Brianna Nesprell that a compiled report will be released Saturday.
FHP Col. Gary Howes II said Officer Zachary Fink, a three-year FHP veteran, drove a white Kia vehicle in a “reckless manner” on Interstate 95 just before 3 a.m. He said he was chasing a person who was speeding.
Just south of Crosstown Parkway, the Kia attempted to make a U-turn and continue north in the southbound lanes to escape pursuit.
“The driver swerved suddenly to go the wrong way on I-95,” Howes said. “Officer Fink continued to apprehend the subject and swerved with the vehicle in an attempt to warn unsuspecting motorists of the surrounding danger. Unfortunately, he veered directly past a semi-tractor trailer and struck the left side. This is the driver's side of the police car. ”
The driver took off on foot and a large multi-agency investigation began, Howes said. The driver, who has not been identified, was eventually taken into custody about five hours later, just after 8 a.m.
Howes said the driver of the semi in the I-95 crash died at the scene, but Fink was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The truck driver has not been identified by FHP.
