TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla. – A Temple Terrace police officer has been arrested and terminated from the force after investigators determined he was driving over 100 MPH just before a collision that killed a 6-year-old girl. Zachary Mason Krug, 25, surrendered to Florida Highway Patrol troopers at the Hillsborough County Jail on Thursday.
The arrest follows a two-week traffic homicide investigation into the April 15 crash on East Fowler Avenue. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Krug was traveling westbound in a department Ford Explorer at an excessive rate of speed. As he approached the intersection of North Drive, the driver of a Nissan Pathfinder traveling eastbound initiated a left turn.
The police cruiser struck the Nissan, sending both vehicles into a ditch on the north side of the roadway. While all five people involved were initially hospitalized, a 6-year-old passenger in the Nissan later died from her injuries. An 8-year-old passenger remains in the hospital, and a 1-year-old was also treated.
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State troopers concluded that Krug’s speed was the primary factor in the fatal crash. He faces charges of Vehicular Homicide and three counts of Reckless Driving Involving Serious Bodily Injury.
In a statement released today, the Temple Terrace Police Department confirmed Krug has been fired. The department’s internal administrative investigation found that his actions violated city rules, department policy, and state law.
“The actions that led to this arrest are not consistent with our policies, our training, or the expectations we place on our officers,” the department stated, adding that they remain “deeply saddened by the loss of life.”
Krug had been employed with the department since January 2024. The investigation remains active as the criminal case moves forward.
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