Executive Summary
- Titusville Police Department internal review clears officers of policy violations regarding the December 12 pursuit.
- Driver Darrius Bentley, 35, died after crashing into a tree and fence following the deployment of tire-deflation devices.
- Police report alleges Bentley rammed a patrol vehicle and fled an initial traffic stop before losing control.
- The Florida Highway Patrol is conducting an independent investigation into the fatal crash.
TITUSVILLE, Fla. — An internal administrative review by the Titusville Police Department (TPD) has concluded that officers adhered to established departmental policies during a pursuit that culminated in a fatal crash on Friday, December 12, 2025. The incident resulted in the death of 35-year-old Darrius Bentley of Mims, Florida, following an attempted traffic stop and subsequent flee attempt.
According to a news release from Commander Tyler Wright, the sequence of events began at approximately 8:08 p.m. when an officer initiated a traffic stop on Deleon Avenue near Sycamore Street. The officer observed Bentley’s vehicle traveling at unlawful speeds and failing to maintain its lane. Investigators reported that Bentley initially appeared to comply, slowing down and stopping on Cora Avenue.
The police report states that as the officer exited the patrol vehicle, Bentley reversed his car, crashing into the front of the police cruiser before fleeing the scene. Commander Wright noted that Bentley ignored emergency lights and sirens, prompting officers to deploy two sets of stop sticks. While the devices successfully deflated the vehicle’s tires, Bentley allegedly continued to accelerate.
Preliminary findings indicate that the driver lost control of the vehicle at approximately 8:11 p.m. on Barna Avenue near Nicklaus Drive. The vehicle struck a palm tree, a fence, and a sign. Bentley sustained fatal injuries in the collision. The TPD administration’s internal pursuit review determined that the officers involved committed no policy violations during the engagement.
Investigative Oversight and Procedure
While the internal review has satisfied the Titusville Police Department’s administrative standards regarding the officers’ conduct, the crash itself remains under independent scrutiny. The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into the vehicular crash dynamics, a standard procedure when police actions precede a fatality. This separation of internal policy review and external accident investigation ensures an objective analysis of the event’s cause and the structural integrity of the public safety response.
