PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – A 30-year-old man faced a judge for the first time after being arrested in connection with a fatal crash that took the lives of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper and a truck driver on I-95.
Michael Anthony Addison, from Lauderhill, was apprehended on Friday night after authorities confirmed that he was the driver FHP Trooper Zachary Fink was pursuing prior to the tragic collision.
Addison is being charged with 12 offenses, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter, two charges of murder, and aggravated fleeing resulting in death. The judge has ordered him to be held without bond on several of the charges.
The incident began at around 2:40 a.m. when a white Kia was spotted speeding and driving recklessly by a sheriff’s deputy. A pursuit ensued, but the deputy disengaged. Shortly after, Fink attempted to stop the Kia, which led to a pursuit on I-95 in the wrong direction. This resulted in a fatal collision between the Kia, a tractor-trailer, and Fink’s vehicle.
The tragic crash claimed the life of the 26-year-old Trooper Fink and the tractor-trailer driver, whose identity has not been disclosed. The Kia continued driving in the wrong direction before eventually crashing into a tree. The suspect, Addison, fled on foot, leading to a large-scale manhunt before his eventual apprehension later that morning.
These events have left the community in mourning and have raised questions about the safety of pursuits on busy highways. The loss of two lives in this incident has sparked conversations about the risks faced by law enforcement officers and the potential dangers of high-speed chases.
The impact of this tragedy will continue to be felt by the families, friends, and colleagues of Trooper Fink and the truck driver. As the legal proceedings unfold, the community will be seeking justice and closure in the aftermath of this heartbreaking loss.