Early on December 26, 2024, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Patrol Officer H. Melvin stopped on the Mathews Bridge to assist two men with changing a tire on a disabled vehicle. Parking his patrol car behind the two vehicles and activating his emergency lights, Officer Melvin provided a safety buffer as the men worked.
As they finished changing the tire, a pickup truck crashed into the back of Officer Melvin’s police car, creating a chain-reaction collision that pinned one of the motorists between two vehicles. Officer Melvin immediately called for rescue and ran to the pickup truck, which was rolling backward down the bridge. Inside, he found 30-year-old Aleksandr Bratulin, the driver, slumped over the wheel, along with an unconscious passenger. Acting quickly, Officer Melvin pressed the brakes and shifted the truck into park before returning to render aid to the injured motorist.
Two men involved in the crash sustained serious injuries and were transported to a local hospital. Officer Melvin suffered minor injuries but continued to assist at the scene.
Additional officers arrived and conducted an investigation, leading to Bratulin’s arrest. He faces six counts of DUI with property damage and/or personal injury, as well as charges for driving under the influence, careless driving, and failure to move over for an emergency vehicle.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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