SSO Deputy Brandau suspended after crash

[News Flash]

SARASOTA COUNTY - Sheriff's deputy Stacy Brandau got paid an extra $3,000 a year for a special detail to catch drunken drivers, but a high-speed crash is not what her bosses had in mind.

Brandau was driving down U.S. 41 in Venice at up to 70 mph at 1:19 a.m. responding to a call without using her lights and siren, when a man made a left turn into her car's path with his truck.

The man had a blood-alcohol content almost three times higher than the legal limit, .234 percent, and was arrested at the hospital on his fourth DUI charge. But an internal investigation found Brandau's driving violated department rules about operating vehicles, and she was suspended in July for two days and lost the privilege of taking her agency vehicle home for 45 days.

Brandau regained use of her car two weeks ago, but now Erik Jensen and his attorney, Henry Lee, are digging into the crash as part of the defense of his DUI charge. Jensen told investigators the night of the crash that he was just going home when someone crashed into the front of his truck.

The idea that Brandau might be to blame for the crash is not a defense to the DUI charge, but could keep prosecutors from pursuing a stiffer sentence.

Brandau was also transferred off the DUI patrol and back to regular evening patrol, in July, taking the $3,000 pay cut.

She did not challenge the discipline. Brandau was suspended for a week last year in an unrelated case, which was considered as part of her reprimand in this crash.

Brandau and another deputy, James Lutz, illegally entered a private residence through an open garage door in 2006, violating John and Cynthia Coffin's right to not submit to an unlawful search, judges have ruled.

The deputies came to the couple's house to serve court papers but ended up in a dangerous brawl with them inside their home.

John Coffin, 58, beat up the deputies inside his house after seeing them arresting his wife, Cynthia, 51. He struck one in the head with a stun gun he took from the other.

Both Coffins were arrested after the fight, but judges threw out most of those charges earlier this year because the deputies had no legal authority to enter the garage.

Sheriff Bill Balkwill first ordered four-week suspensions for Brandau and Lutz, but a review board decided one week was appropriate.

She was also required to take training on the constitutional rights that make it illegal for police to enter a home or make an arrest without probable cause or a warrant.

Source

[Retired n Luvin it]

As I was told in my Law Enforcement Academy..

" Not everyone is cut out to be a police officer. "

She's had a long and tattered history beginning when she was a PSA.
Including getting herself and 3 deputies in an IA crap shoot over her shall we say marital indiscretions.

Then Capt KG said.. she'll be a deputy over my dead body.. His evaluation was correct.. but some higher power thought otherwise.... AND THEY WERE WRONG !!

What's Next ??

what shift and zone is she in now?

You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Lets put this into perspective. I dont even really know her but I could care less. Lets see a drunk on the road and is in a crash and blows. .2 whatever. Hmmm if we think for a second and this freaking drunk was not even on the road. Just maybe the crash would of never happened. I dont care if she was flying a rocket ship. She was on her way to a call at O dark thirty in the morning. The person to blame is the freaking drunk folks.

Lets stop for one minute and remember what we are here to do and forget about personalities.


That damn newspaper is so anti cop. They didnt even focus on the drunk blowing double the legal limit. Lets focus on a deputy sheriff who was responding to a call. Ohhh the poor drunk guy, he deserves a break. Unreal :evil:

You can't win here we are not real cops.

we are real cops and shame on you for such a remark. She got screwed over twice, fact is a fact. We all bleed green here

You people should be ashamed of yourselves. Lets put this into perspective. I dont even really know her but I could care less. Lets see a drunk on the road and is in a crash and blows. .2 whatever. Hmmm if we think for a second and this freaking drunk was not even on the road. Just maybe the crash would of never happened. I dont care if she was flying a rocket ship. She was on her way to a call at O dark thirty in the morning. The person to blame is the freaking drunk folks.

Lets stop for one minute and remember what we are here to do and forget about personalities.


That darn newspaper is so anti cop. They didnt even focus on the drunk blowing double the legal limit. Lets focus on a deputy sheriff who was responding to a call. Ohhh the poor drunk guy, he deserves a break. Unreal :evil:

Stacy is a good egg, leave her alone! She has learned from her mistakes and is part of the family, let it go.

Stacy Brandau should have never been hired here from day one! She should have been terminated after the first incident she stirred up with (2) Deputies, that will remain nameless. There are more cases of this mental case causing problems! In my 19 years at the SSO, I have never seen anyone make HEADLINES like this moron! Bust into someones house with civil papers and then turn around and crash into someone at a high rate of speed with no lights/sirens and lie about it! Rumor has it she was doing "favors" to Colonel Lewis Thats how she was hired! Then she moved on to others. Please leave so we dont make headlines a 3rd time.

Makes me ashamed to say I wear the same uniform. To think she wears the same mock turtle neck as me ? Perhaps we should make her a fto ? :devil: :devil: :devil:

Who was she replaced by? Are they better or worse?