A corrections officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was arrested Monday and accused of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide following a crash on the Westside earlier this month.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters on Tuesday said the employee, Cashius Edwards, has been with JSO for seven years.
According to Waters, Edwards has been suspended without pay and stripped of all of his authority as a correctional officer.
“Never in my tenure with this agency has an officer been arrested for DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide,” Waters said. “And as your sheriff as a person who has spent over half this life devoted to this agency and this community, and as a human being I’m devastated, naturally. But even with this horrific incident weighing heavily on my heart, I am more resolved than ever to continue to do what is right for the city that I love. And today the right thing is holding Edwards accountable for his decisions and his actions.”
JSO said on Nov. 12 around 2 a.m., the victim was driving southbound on Lane Avenue South approaching San Juan Avenue. Edwards was driving at a “very high rate of speed” northbound on Lane Avenue South, also approaching San Juan, Waters said. When the victim turned left on San Juan Avenue, Edwards crashed into the front of the victim’s vehicle, Waters said, and caused the victim’s vehicle to flip.
The victim died at the scene and Edwards was hurt but recovered.
Waters said Edwards was not on duty at the time of the crash and was not driving a JSO vehicle.
Each charge against Edwards carries with it a potential 15-year sentence.
Waters said Edwards’ arrest is the third DUI arrest involving a JSO employee.
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