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.
WATCH: New details in crash that killed 3 PBSO deputies
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.
Blue was arrested April 30 and made her first court appearance Friday morning. She is being held on a $750,000 bond, $250,000 per charge. The state also requested that Blue not be allowed to make contact with any witnesses, not be allowed to drive and not be allowed to leave the county.
WATCH: Corrinne Blue makes first appearance at the Palm Beach County Courthouse
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.
WATCH: Attorney Scott Richardson representing the Waller family speaks to WPTV Reporter Kayla McDermott after Blue's first court appearance
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.
WHY DID ARREST TAKE SO LONG?
A former state attorney says the lengthy investigation into the crash, and an arrest nearly 18 months later, reflects the high evidentiary standard required for vehicular homicide in Florida.
Dave Aronberg, former state attorney for Palm Beach County and current managing partner at Dave Aronberg Law, says, "there's a very high evidentiary threshold required to prove vehicular homicide in Florida, you need to show that the driver acted with reckless disregard, rather than simple negligence."
He said that standard "requires a whole, comprehensive and time-consuming investigation."
He explained investigators would have had to gather multiple lines of evidence, including black-box data, autopsy reports for all three victims, witness statements, and video footage showing alleged high speeds and erratic driving.
"There are so many parts moving around that you have to put it all together, and you only get one shot at it," he said.
On the timeline, Aronberg said, "18 months is a little bit on the longer side, but it's not uncommon for these investigations to take over a year," noting tasks such as reconstructing speed and impact angles and obtaining toxicology reports contribute to extended timelines.
He also noted that a suspect's cooperation can affect investigative pacing: "If the person is cooperative and has roots in the community, the law enforcement officers who are conducting investigation will realize that they don't have to rush it to get to the courthouse before the individual flees."
Still, he emphasized the gravity of the case, saying investigators would be "extremely thorough, because you only get one shot at it."
Aronberg cautioned that an arrest and strong investigation do not guarantee conviction: "It's not a done deal, because you have a very high burden to reach. The defense is going to probably say that this was an accident and simple negligence."
He said the case's outcome will depend on the evidence, the law, and jury selection.
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.
