GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Florida -- A 12-year veteran Clay County sheriff's deputy died late Tuesday from injuries he suffered Sunday in a traffic crash while on duty in Orange Park.
Ben Zirbel, 40, of Middleburg passed away at Orange Park Medical Center where he'd been hospitalized since the crash, said Sheriff Darryl Daniels who was accompanied by Zirbel's widow, Anna, and Florida Highway Patrol Maj. Steven Harris, at a Wednesday news conference.
"He perished as a result of his injuries," Daniels said. "Ben was a good man. You hate when bad things happen to to good people. ... He was active in the community, and he leaves a good legacy behind."
Anna Zirbel said her husband is helping others live because he was a registered organ donor. She urged people to become organ donors. Anna Zirbel also thanked the Sheriff's Office and community for their love, support and prayers.
The father of an 8-year-old son, Zirbel is the first Clay deputy to die in the line of duty in six years. He is the ninth in the agency's history. The previous fatality was detective David White, 35, who was killed Feb. 16, 2012, during a meth house raid.
A member of the Sheriff's Office traffic unit, Zirbel was riding his agency motorcycle during his regular work shift when the crash happened shortly before 11 a.m. on Blanding Boulevard at Camp Francis Johnson Road in Orange Park.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a pickup truck towing a utility lawn trailer turned into the path of Zirbel's motorcycle. The pickup driver, 35-year-old Stephen M. Schioppa of Orange Park, failed to yield the right-of-way to Zirbel, who took evasive action to try to avoid the collision, the Highway Patrol said.
The front of Zirbel's BMW police motorcycle hit the right side of the trailer. After the impact, the motorcycle overturned — ejecting Zirbel onto the pavement.
The collision was the second fatal crash killing a Northeast Florida law enforcement officer within three months. Officer Lance Whitaker, 48, a 17-year veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, died when his patrol car crashed in rainy conditions about 4:30 a.m. May 15 on Interstate 295 as he was en route to another wreck.
THe Highway Patrol is leading the investigation into the crash. Daniels said it was possible Schioppa was distracted. That would explain why he turned in front of Zirbel, who was driving straight down the road.
Addressing reports of death threats against Schioppa, Daniels said Zirbel wouldn't have wanted that sort of thing.
Now retired, Sheriff Rick Beseler had hired Zirbel in 2006. Family, serving the community and being a motorman were Zirbel's passions, Beseler said.
"It's heartbreaking. What a fine young man he was. This is just so devastating," Beseler said.
Beseler last saw Zirbel, also a member of the agency's Honor Guard, at the 2016 Sheriff's Office Police Memorial service. Zirbel limped slightly — the only outward sign of the multiple injuries he suffered in 2015 when his motorcycle hit a slick spot on the road and crashed as he chased a suspect in Keystone Heights.
"He came up to me and he said, 'I just wanted you to see how well I'm doing with my recovery. ... I'm going to return to full duty and I'm going to get back on that motorcycle.' That was his goal, to get back on that motorcycle," Beseler said.
Beseler said he didn't think Zirbel would be able to return to the motorcycle unit given the severity of his injuries back then.
"He had such determination and such a drive to do that," Beseler said. "He loved being on that motor, and he loved helping people. He wanted to get back to it and that was his No. 1 goal."
Zirbel and his wife are former Charles City, Iowa, residents and both graduated high school there. His father, Jim Zirbel, is a former Charles City police chief, while her father is a businessman in the city, according to the Charles City Press.
A VyStar account has been set up for Zirbel and his family. The account number is 7507565803 and donations can be made at any branch, according to the Sheriff's Office.
People also can contribute to a GoFundMe account for Zirbel's family at gofundme.com/deputy-ben-zirbel-family.
The Times-Union will be updating this story.
Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075, [email protected]
Dan Scanlan: (904) 359-4549, [email protected]
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