Off-Duty Escambia Deputy Involved in Double Fatal Crash
By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
July 13, 2025
PERDIDO KEY, Fla. The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing an investigation into a double-fatal pedestrian wreck involving a University of Alabama student that occurred in Perdido Key.
Jackson Cunningham was currently a student at the University of Alabama and a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, was one of the people killed. The other victim was identified as 20-year-old Nicole Moore from Calera, Alabama. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Cunningham was a native of Hoover, Alabama.
The crash happened early Saturday around 3 a.m. on Perdido Key Drive near River Road.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers stated that that the victims were hit by an off-duty Escambia County deputy in an unmarked patrol car as they were crossing the street.
FHP says the deputy — a 47-year-old Pensacola man — had been returning home from an off-duty job at the time of the crash. He was not injured in the crash and has not been identified by name.
“The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee was not actively patrolling nor on duty,” FHP says. “The Florida Highway Patrol remains diligent and focused on our investigation into this crash, as we are with all of the ones we unfortunately have to work.”
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office says the deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave, per policy.
“They did not activate the crosswalk lights and went across he road in the dark,” Commissioner Steve Stroberger said. “And I think there was an EMS vehicle that was actually en route to another call, and they actually witnessed it. And they noticed that the crosswalk light hadn’t been activated.”
FHP said that they will not release any further information at this time.
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