Police Officer Paul Schippereit

Paul Schippereit

Police Officer Paul Schippereit succumbed to injuries he received when a speeding drunk driver struck him on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami on January 24, 1984.

At 2:00 a.m., Officer Schippereit was crossing the street to retrieve a yellow police rope for an armed robbery shooting investigation. A car slammed into him, sending him through the car's windshield and back onto the boulevard. He was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for a broken leg, internal bleeding, and a severe brain injury. After waking from a coma, he was left with severe brain damage. Two years later., he was placed on permanent disability. Over the next three decades, he had multiple procedures and operations; his cognitive abilities decreased, and he lost both legs and an arm. His death on July 4, 2022, was attributed to the brain injury he received.

The driver refused to take a breathalyzer and was administered a blood test. He was charged with driving under the influence and reckless driving; however, he was only sentenced to 250 hours of community service.

Officer Schippereit had served with the Miami Police Department for four years. He is survived by a brother and sister.