- December 15, 2025
An undisclosed six-figure amount will be given to the surviving children of Robert Hansen.
A wrongful death case against the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office was settled before trial last week, resulting in “an undisclosed six-figure sum,” according to the attorney representing the victim’s family.
The incident occurred when a speeding deputy T-boned an 80-year-old driver who was on his way home from his grandson’s baseball game in 2008, in Flagler County.
The Sheriff’s Office paid part of the sum and was released from the suit Sept. 26, 2011. The uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage then paid the remainder to surviving family members, attorney Allan Ziffra said.
The crash happened shortly after the victim, Robert Hansen, left the Flagler County Fairgrounds. At 6:05 p.m. April 3, 2008, Hansen turned left from County Road 13, intending to travel north on U.S. 1. He was not wearing his seat belt, according to the Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation.
Deputy Jeffrey A. Turner, then 40 years old, was en route to the Sheriff’s Office. His view of Hansen was initially obscured by other traffic, and although he attempted to brake and avoid the car, Turner’s front bumper hit Hansen’s driver’s side door, shattering the window and causing the roof to buckle. Hansen’s left front tire was forced off its rim and flattened.
Both Turner and Hansen were transported to Florida Hospital Flagler with “incapacitating injuries.” Hansen died two days later.
Testimony from Turner and a witness estimated his rate of speed at 50 mph — five less than the posted 55 mph limit. Turner also stated he was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
However, days after the crash, the Standard Data Module, also called the black box, was removed from underneath the driver’s seat. The data showed that Turner was actually driving 64 mph two seconds prior to the collision and that he was not wearing his seat belt.
The investigation concluded that Hansen was at fault for the crash because he did not yield to Turner at the intersection. However, the surviving family of Hansen filed a wrongful death suit against Turner.
“Had he been going the speed limit or even 5 mph over, the accident would never have occurred, and Mr. Hansen would be alive today,” Ziffra said. “Had Mr. Hansen never pulled out, he wouldn’t have been hit, either. But officers are supposed to enforce the speed limit. Just because they’re a deputy doesn’t give them the right to exceed the speed limit. The officer was not reporting to any official duty, didn’t have his lights or sirens on — he was just going someplace.”
Ziffra said that in his 22 years of experience with wrongful death cases, he has seen black box data used many times. Most new vehicles have the devices and are typically used by manufacturers to investigate alleged defects.
“Mr. Hansen was very active,” he said. “He was not just sitting at home in his golden years; he was out enjoying life and remaining an integral part of his family. His loss meant a lot to his family.”
Turner is still employed with the Sheriff’s Office, according to Public Information Officer Debra Johnson.
