Officer investigated in hit and run case

ST. PETERSBURG - If you hit another car, you have to pull over, and if necessary, call the police, but what if somebody hits you and the driver in the other car is a police officer who just takes off? That's what one man says happened to him.

Ricardo Puig, Jr., a native New Yorker, was at a Tampa Bay Rays game cheering for his team, the Bronx Bombers. His family left Tropicana Field in their Honda Minivan just after the 8th inning.

They had seen plenty of hits in the stadium, and then saw one more on the outside.

"We were leaving the parking lot and some officers were directing traffic,” recalls Puig. "And we were at a red light, stopped, and I noticed that a police officer pulled up behind me and I didn't think twice until I heard this crash and the van moved a little bit."

Puig had been rear-ended. The damage was minor and no one was hurt, but Puig says it’s still hard for him to believe what happened next.

“The police officer moved into my left lane and another car pulled in behind him and as soon as I pulled behind the other car, the police officer took off,” Puig told investigative reporter Doug Smith. “I tried to follow the officer as much as I could, but he was zig-zagging though parking lots and other streets.”

Puig says the St. Petersburg Police Department took the matter seriously. The investigation zeroed in on officer Chris Dixon, who was driving a marked patrol car that night. Officer Dixon has been pulled off the streets and refused to answer any questions when FOX 13 caught up with him as he was entering the Pinellas County Courthouse for a hearing.

"Officers are not infallible and if they break the law, we have to investigate our own and treat them like any other citizen," says Bill Proffitt with St. Petersburg Police.

Because internal affairs is investigating the matter, Proffitt told us he can’t talk about the specifics.

"He's on restricted duty, sitting at a desk inside the department,” Proffit told Doug Smith. “And he will remain there until the investigation is complete."

The key witnesses in the criminal case against Dixon are fellow cops who were working traffic detail outside Tropicana Field.

"I heard what sounded like a vehicle crash. I observed a silver or bronze van and a marked police cruiser," said Officer Lisa Gaskins.

"I observed that the police cruiser changed to the left lane and sped away," Officer Richard Miranda reported.

Dixon is charged with careless driving and leaving the scene of a crash. He pled not guilty, and his case is headed for trial. If he's innocent, fellow officers say he sure didn't act that way. One investigator noted his "poor" attitude.

"Throughout most of the interview, Dixon said things and displayed behaviors which indicated he was being untruthful," Officer Mike Jockers wrote. "Dixon's hands and knees would start to shake," Officer Jockers added.

Ricardo Puig, Jr. is surprised at what has developed over a minor fender bender.

“For him to be going though what he is, when all he had to do is stop seems ridiculous,” said Puig.

Internal affairs will likely wait until after the court case is resolved before taking any action. Even if Dixon is found not guilty at trial, he could still be disciplined or even fired because officers are held to a higher standard.