This week the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is remembering the death of Sheriff’s Deputy Michael Alexander, who was killed in the line of duty in a traffic accident May 3rd, 1998.

Deputy Alexander had just left roll call at the Plantation Key Substation and was on the way to his duty station at the Ocean Reef Resort. He had pulled off of the highway and onto Val Jean Way, in Tavernier. He was stopped at a stop sign at Val Jean Way and Highway U.S. One when he pulled out into the path on an oncoming semi-tractor trailer truck. He was killed when his vehicle was broad sided on the driver’s side of his vehicle by the truck.

Deputy Alexander had worked for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office for just less than a year. He’d previously worked for the Miami-Dade Police Department for 16 years, leaving that department as a lieutenant. He worked the midnight shift as a deputy at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo. He was also on the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.