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Daytona Chief Said Officer’s Use of City Car Violated Policy

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – A Daytona Beach police captain who drove his city vehicle to a job interview in another part of Florida will have to dole out $3,000 of his own money for damages sustained to the Chevrolet after he crashed into a deer on the way back to the city.

by Staff
April 16, 2008
1 min to read


DAYTONA BEACH, FL – A Daytona Beach police captain who drove his city vehicle to a job interview in another part of Florida will have to dole out $3,000 of his own money for damages sustained to the Chevrolet after he crashed into a deer on the way back to the city, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.


Matt Doughney has been chosen to be the police chief of Avon Park, in Highlands County. Last week he drove his Police Department Chevy for a second interview in that city, racking up 262 miles on the automobile. On the way back, Doughney slammed into a deer. The crash left $3,000 worth of damages to the city car.

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In an interview with the Highlands Today newspaper, Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said Doughney’s trip to Avon Park in the city car on Mar. 24 violated the vehicle policy that’s spelled out in the captain’s contract. Chitwood said that the 44-year-old Doughney could have exercised better common sense and that he would have to pay for the damages incurred.

He also said he was reviewing whether to discipline Doughney.

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