A former Temple Terrace police officer pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges of vehicular homicide and reckless driving following a high-speed crash that killed a 6-year-old girl and seriously injured three others in April.
Zachary Krug, 25, entered the plea months after the April 15 collision that resulted in the death of Leila Sakowski. The crash occurred shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Fowler Avenue near North Avenue, a sector containing several local businesses and a nearby school.
According to prosecutors, Krug was driving an unmarked cruiser and was running late for his shift when he stopped at a red light, activated his blue emergency lights, and drove through the intersection. Investigators stated that Krug then accelerated to 104 mph in a 50 mph zone.
At the same time, Samantha Sakowski was operating an SUV in the median, attempting to make either a left turn or a U-turn while delivering for Uber Eats with her three children inside. Authorities stated that Krug applied his brakes before the collision, slowing to approximately 74 mph when his cruiser struck the passenger side of Sakowski’s vehicle.
Leila Sakowski was transported to a local hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Samantha Sakowski and her two other children, aged 18 months and 8 years old, were hospitalized with severe injuries. Public fundraising records indicate the 8-year-old was placed in a medically induced coma with a fractured spine and pelvis, while the mother sustained fractured ribs and the toddler suffered a concussion.
Defense attorney Ralph Fernandez offered a different account of the events leading up to the crash, asserting that Krug was actively pursuing another vehicle.
“A vehicle was in front, took off, left a patch of smoke, ran a light, he began to follow. Then he stopped, then he had to give chase as a result of the catch-up provisions, and then the tragedy struck,” Fernandez told reporters in May.
However, Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez stated that investigators found no evidence supporting the claim that a pursuit was underway.
“I am absolutely sickened by what happened on that afternoon,” Lopez said in a statement to local television station WTVT. “This was just a regular old Wednesday afternoon when this officer decided that what he needed to do was more important than what anybody else on the road was doing. He endangered lives and he killed a 6-year-old girl by the choices that he made. No one is above the law, this now former officer was charged with protecting the public and keeping people safe, and he did the exact opposite of that.”
Following the incident, the Temple Terrace Police Department terminated Krug’s employment. Krug was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail and was subsequently released after posting a $90,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 13.
RELATED: Temple Terrace Police Officer Fired And Arrested In Connection With Fatal U-Turn Crash
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