Pinellas deputy seriously injured in propane tanker accident

At approximately 5:23 a.m. on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, a serious vehicle collision occurred on Hudson Avenue between an Amerigas propane tanker truck and a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office vehicle.

The propane tanker, driven by a 60-year-old man from Spring Hill, reversed across the eastbound and westbound lanes of Hudson Avenue into a private driveway at 15222 Hudson Avenue in Pasco County.

A marked “Pinellas Sheriff’s Office” Chevy Tahoe, driven by 32-year-old Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputy Dakota Dellechiaie, was traveling east on Hudson Avenue when it crashed west of Hays Road collided with the trailer part of the tanker. Deputy Dellechiaie was in his department-provided vehicle and was on his way to his assigned shift.

The Pasco Fire Department responded to the scene and extricated Deputy Dellechiaie from the patrol car. He was taken to Bayonet Point Hospital Trauma Center with very serious head injuries and is currently stable.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the accident. The sheriff’s office said it is deeply grateful to the Pasco County Fire Department, Florida Highway Patrol and hospital staff for their life-saving assistance.

Deputy Dellechiaie was hired in 2019 and is currently assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau.

He and his wife have four children. They ask that you respect the family’s privacy during this time.

The driver of the tanker truck remained uninjured.

Motorists should continue to avoid Hudson Avenue for the next few hours as firefighters burn off the small amount of propane that was previously in the tanker at the time of the collision.