The Fircrest man killed Thursday night in a collision with a University Place sheriff’s deputy has been identified as Dale Neel.
Neel was 61, the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office reported.
The collision occurred about 7 p.m. on Emerson Street near 67th Avenue West in University Place.
Neel, who was driving a scooter, had turned from a side street onto Emerson and went into the center turn lane so he could make a left toward his home, Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
The deputy was responding to a request for backup and had activated his lights and sirens. He was driving in the center turn lane when he spotted Neel and steered to the right to avoid him.
Neel also veered to the right lane.
“Preliminarily, it looks like they both tried to avoid each other and went to the same spot,” Troyer said.
The deputy hit Neel, then went over an embankment and crashed into a ditch. Neel, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The deputy, who suffered minor injuries, also went to a hospital and was released overnight, Troyer said. He has been on the force for 10 years.
The Tacoma Police Department was investigating the crash. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an accident review, standard procedure when deputies are involved in crashes.
“It’s not an intentional use of force,” Troyer said. “It’s an accident.”
Stacey Mulick: 253-597-8268
stacey.mulick@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/crime
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