A civil lawsuit seeking damages in excess of $50,000 has been filed against the City of Vero Beach in the Indian River County Circuit Court. The complaint, lodged by a Port St. Lucie couple, stems from a serious collision involving a bicyclist and a Vero Beach Police Department patrol vehicle that occurred in May 2024.
The plaintiffs, David C. Frazier and his wife Deborah R. Frazier, allege that the crash was caused by the negligence of a city police officer. According to court filings, the incident took place on May 30, 2024, just south of Beachland Boulevard. The lawsuit contends that Officer Camilla Ann Defriese Romero, while responding to a call, failed to yield the right of way and turned into the path of David Frazier, who was riding southbound in a marked bike lane.
The impact of the collision was severe. The complaint details that Mr. Frazier struck the passenger side door of the officer’s vehicle, was thrown over his handlebars, and smashed his head into the window, shattering the glass.
According to the filing, Frazier suffered a lip laceration, cuts to his legs, abrasions on his chest, left arm and right leg, and head trauma that caused memory loss of the incident while in the emergency room. Frazier was wearing a helmet at the time.
The lawsuit asserts that Officer Romero was cited for making an improper right turn under Florida Statute 316.151(1A) and reportedly told authorities she did not see the cyclist. The filing accuses the City of Vero Beach of negligence and vicarious liability, noting that the officer was on duty and operating a city-owned vehicle when the crash occurred.
In addition to the damages sought for Mr. Frazier’s injuries, his wife is seeking damages for loss of consortium. The couple has requested a jury trial. As is standard practice regarding pending litigation, officials from the City of Vero Beach declined to comment on the case.
