DEC 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 12

AROUND THE COUNTRY
PUNTA GORDA, FL.
Charlotte County Deputy Christopher Taylor, was fatally
struck by a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop.
PUNTA GORDA, FL. - Charlotte
County Sheriff Bill Prummell has
identified the deputy who was
fatally struck by a motorist while
conducting a traffic stop on I-75
near mile marker 163 in Punta
Gorda.
Deputy Christopher Taylor was
struck and killed in Punta Gorda.
Life-saving measures were given
on the scene by good Samaritans
and later by other deputies.
Taylor was transported to Punta
Gorda ShorePoint Health and
regrettably succumbed to his
injuries.
The driver, identified Cassandra
Smith, 30, called 911 after
losing control of her Jeep and
veering across three lanes onto
the shoulder striking the deputy’s
patrol vehicle which in turn
hit the deputy. Smith was taken
into custody by Florida Highway
Patrol and transported to the
Charlotte County Jail on charges
of DUI Manslaughter. Smith is
from Massachusetts.
Bill Prummell said this is
Smith’s second DUI charge and
that she had just gotten off probation
for the first.
Deputy Taylor joined the agency
in August of 2021 and was
officially sworn in on February
14, 2021. He is survived by his
parents and fiancé.
“In his little less than a year
of service to Charlotte County,
Chris exemplified the core values
of the CCSO; Integrity, Professionalism,
and Trust. Chris
just celebrated his 23rd birthday
on Saturday. Losing a deputy
is unspeakably difficult for the
agency, but the passing of such
a promising and kind young man
is a tremendous loss for the
world,” shared Sheriff Bill Prummell.
Friends say Christopher Taylor
worked hard to become a Charlotte
County Deputy.
“They say only the good die
young, and this is the epitome of
this because he is a wonderful,
wonderful soul,” Shelly Walton
said
Christopher Taylor, or Chris
as they knew him, worked for
Shelly Walton at Backstreets
Sports Bar in Cape Coral.
“He didn’t have the easiest life
growing up and he was great in
school,” Walton said. “He tried
very hard to get onto the force.
That was his goal; that’s what he
wanted to do.”
Right after he graduated from
North Fort Myers High School, he
DEPUTY CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR
waited on customers, but Shelly
knew it was not his end goal.
“The kid worked full-time for
me for three years,” Walton said.
“And when he was going through
the academy, he was still working
for me.”
Taylor had dreams of working
in law enforcement, something
Walton said he often mentioned.
“When he was getting hired I
thought he was going to work at
the jail, so I was a little worried,
then after that he told me he was
going on the road so I was doubly
worried,” Walton said.
Walton saw Taylor with a big
smile at his swearing-in ceremony
just a few months ago.
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