Florida Deputy Runs Over Woman Sunbathing on St. Pete Beach

A young Florida woman’s trip to the beach turned into a nightmare when an on-duty sheriff’s deputy ran her over while she was sunbathing.

Robin Elaine Diffenderfer, 23, was soaking up the rays at St. Pete Beach at about 1 p.m. Wednesday when Pinellas County Deputy Todd Brien got a 911 call as he patrolled the pristine sand and emerald green waters.

Brien, who was speaking to several beachgoers at the time, was dispatched to another location in his fully marked 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe following the 911 hang-up call, the sheriff’s office said.

“Deputy Brien made a right turn from his parked position, when he struck Diffenderfer while she was lying on her back in the sand,” department officials said in a statement late Wednesday.

The front left tire of Brien’s SUV drove over Diffenderfer’s right side and “mid to upper back area,” deputies said.

She was rushed to a hospital, but was expected to survive, deputies said.

Brien, 58, who was hired by the department in November 2013, was not hurt during the incident, the sheriff’s office said.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing. No update has been made on the victim’s condition.

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office posted a release about the incident on its Facebook page, where several commenters chimed in on the unusual incident.

“Maybe don’t drive huge vehicles on the beach?” one woman suggested.

Another woman said she thought Brien should be fired for the accident.

“Should not be so oblivious that he isn’t aware of the pedestrians around him on the beach,” she wrote. “Being in a marked police car isn’t an excuse.”