St Johns County Deputy Killed in Crash

**MOD 1** · 01-15-2010, 08:08 PM

From Jacksonville.com

As his broken body laid dying in his mangled patrol car, St. Johns County Deputy James Louis Anderson Jr. grabbed his cell phone and called the love of his life.

"Gina," he cried at least once into his wife's phone. That's about all he could say.

Anderson, a 44-year-old retired Marine and father of four, died Thursday after being airlifted to Shands Jacksonville.

Wrong-way driver Kris E. Caudilla of Jacksonville, who slammed his sport-utility vehicle head-on into the patrol car, remains hospitalized in serious condition.

Shirley Warford, Regina Anderson's sister, described the chilling phone call after speaking with her sister.

Warford said the deputy dedicated his life to serving the public and caring for his family.

"The person that hit him has no idea what they've taken away from us," said Warford, 41.

The investigation is continuing into the 3:30 a.m. accident on Florida 9A just south of Baymeadows Road, said Lt. Bill Leeper of the Florida Highway Patrol. Anderson, of Jacksonville, was heading into work south on 9A when Caudilla, 26, drove a Honda Element into the patrol car.

The SUV went into the median and overturned. The patrol car was found on the west shoulder of the roadway. Both drivers were wearing seat belts.

Investigators are still trying to determine what led to the accident. An off-duty Jacksonville Beach police officer driving his personal car said Caudilla's SUV passed him on 9A going the wrong way at a high rate of speed moments before the crash. The officer swerved off the road and reported the incident to the Florida Highway Patrol. He did not know about the accident until later.

Court records show Caudilla has been cited for several traffic violations since 2001, including twice for speeding. His family could not be reached to comment.

Warford said Anderson sought to help people through his 20-year career in the Marines and as a local deputy. He also was devoted to his family, his five dogs and working in his garden, she said.

"He was always thinking about other people before he thought about himself," she said.

St. Johns Sheriff David Shoar said Anderson was a Marine from 1984 to 2004. He then joined the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, where he received a lifesaving medal in 2006 for helping revive a man who wasn't breathing. He moved to the St. Johns County Sheriff Office in 2007 and most recently patrolled the Ponte Vedra Beach area.

"He was a big bear of a guy, a really neat guy. People loved him," Shoar said. "It's just a sad day."

Ken Taylor was Anderson's partner in Putnam County and has remained close friends with him.

"He was just generally a good guy, somebody that wanted to do good for the community," said Taylor, 40, who remains a Putnam deputy. "Some people are just born into being in law enforcement and he was just one of those people."

Taylor said Anderson was extremely close to his family and would have wanted to speak with his wife to comfort her.

"That probably meant the world to him," Taylor said.

Funeral arrangements have not been finalized. Taylor said he and countless others will be there to say goodbye.

"I already dread hearing taps," Taylor said.