A Florida nurse has been arrested more than a year after allegedly causing a high-speed crash that killed three law enforcement officers just days before Thanksgiving 2024. Corrine Blue, 31, was taken into custody on April 30, 2026, and charged with three counts of vehicular homicide, according to the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office and NBC 6.
The Fatal Crash
The crash occurred on November 21, 2024, when three deputies—Corporal Luis Paez Jr., Deputy Ignacio “Dan” Diaz, and Deputy Ralph “Butch” Waller—were stationed on Southern Boulevard in Florida. The officers were parked on the side of the road with their motorcycles when a Jeep Grand Cherokee, allegedly driven by Blue, struck them.
Investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol revealed that Blue was driving at a high speed, well above the 55 mph speed limit, and was maneuvering her vehicle in an unsafe manner when the incident occurred. She was reportedly attempting to pass a slower vehicle on the right when she veered into the deputies, who were stopped about half a mile west of Lion Country Safari Road.
Blue’s Account
Blue, a nurse, later claimed she had worked her first-ever shift in the emergency room before the crash, although she typically worked in the telemetry unit at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston. According to the arrest report, she said she was driving back home to West Palm Beach after completing a 12-hour overnight shift.
She also mentioned that she was unfamiliar with the route she had taken, as it was a route she had never driven before. The crash occurred around 9 a.m. local time.
Pursuit of Justice
State Attorney Alexcia Cox stated that the charges against Blue followed a thorough review of the evidence, emphasizing that the charges were a crucial step toward justice for the families of the three fallen officers. “These deputies were serving this community when their lives were tragically taken by a reckless driver,” Cox said in a press release.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Executive Director Dave Kerner honored the officers as “heroes of our community,” acknowledging the profound pain and loss experienced by their families and the broader community.
Ongoing Investigation
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office have been contacted for further comment but did not immediately respond.
As Blue faces charges, the community continues to mourn the loss of three law enforcement officers who were tragically killed in the line of duty. The arrest brings a sense of progress in the pursuit of justice for the families and colleagues of Corporal Paez, Deputy Diaz, and Deputy Waller.
