PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A 32-year-old woman is facing three counts of vehicular homicide in connection with the November 2024 crash that killed three Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies on Southern Boulevard.
Corrinne Blue is accused of causing the crash that killed Corporal Luis Paez Jr., Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz, and Deputy Ralph "Butch" Waller on November 21, 2024.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol's extensive investigation, the three motorcycle deputies were stopped on the shoulder of eastbound State Road 80, about half a mile west of Lion Country Safari Road, at around 9:15 a.m. Deputy Diaz had conducted a traffic stop earlier that morning when his motorcycle became disabled. Paez and Waller had responded to assist him.
All three deputies were standing next to their parked motorcycles on the shoulder when Blue's 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee veered off the roadway and struck them before crashing into a guardrail.
The 13-page arrest affidavit reveals a pattern of aggressive driving by Blue in the minutes leading up to the crash. Multiple witnesses and video evidence show Blue driving 74-86 mph in a 55 mph zone, aggressively tailgating slower vehicles, rapidly changing lanes without signaling, cutting off other drivers at unsafe distances and "zigzagging" between cars.
Vehicle data from Blue's airbag control module showed she was traveling 80-82 mph in the five seconds before impact, with no braking or steering changes until 1.7 seconds before the crash.
Blue had worked a 12-hour shift as a registered nurse at Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Weston from 7 p.m. Nov. 20 to 7 a.m. Nov. 21 — she told police it was her first time working in the emergency room. Cell phone data revealed she had been awake for approximately 18 of the 24 hours preceding the crash.
During her drive home, Blue stopped at a McDonald's in Belle Glade about 25 minutes before the crash, purchasing what experts described as a "calorie-dense, high-fat, and high-carbohydrate meal." A human factors expert determined this could have induced "postprandial fatigue," characterized by cognitive impairment or "brain fog." A witness described Blue as appearing "extremely tired" immediately after the crash.
Blue told investigators she was using an unfamiliar GPS route home when she attempted to pass a slower vehicle. She claimed she didn't see the red car ahead of her until its brake lights came on, causing her to swerve right to avoid a rear-end collision. However, investigators determined Blue was following too closely at her excessive speed and failed to observe the clearly visible deputies on the shoulder. Video evidence shows the deputies and their motorcycles were unobstructed and visible from a great distance.
Paez and Waller were pronounced dead on Nov. 21, 2024. Diaz fought for his life for four days before succumbing to his injuries on Nov. 25, 2024.
The Traffic Homicide Unit of the State Attorney's Office will prosecute the case. Blue has a prior speeding conviction in Pennsylvania.
Blue is being held without bond at the Palm Beach County Jail and is scheduled to make her first appearance Friday morning.
Portions of this story were assisted by artificial intelligence tools and reviewed by a WPTV journalist to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to editorial standards.
