Florida Lifeguard Who Hit Sunbather Lacked Training

August 4, 2011

Officials say a Volusia County lifeguard who ran over a sunbather while driving a Beach Patrol pickup truck did not take the driving course required of patrol officers.

Volusia County spokesman Dave Byron says 21-year-old Thomas Moderie was given a driving-safety manual but didn’t take the 16-hour beach-driving course.

Florida Highway Patrol reports 33-year-old Erin Michelle Joynt, of Wichita, Kan., was sunbathing on the beach Sunday morning when she was run over. She remained in stable condition at a Daytona Beach hospital Monday.

Byron says Moderie had been flagged down by someone reporting broken glass on the shore and was driving to deal with that when he struck Joynt.

This is the third case in the last year of a Volusia County beach employee running over the sunbather.

A message seeking comment from Moderie wasn’t immediately returned.

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