Questions over whether deputy was distracted in fatal Cape Coral crash that killed 15-year-old

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- A Lee County deputy adamantly denies using his laptop at the time of a crash that killed a Cape Coral teen.

Deputy Douglas Hood was originally cited for careless driving in the crash that killed 15-year-old Austin Dukette.

Hood was in his patrol car, when he hit Dukette who was riding his bike to school.

In court Wednesday, a Cape Coral investigator told the judge, that after looking at the evidence again, the citation is being changed to “failure to stay in a single lane.”

The penalties for both citations are $1500, but local attorney Scott Moorey, who is not associated with the case, says the failure citation will be easier to argue in court.

Also new in this case, WINK News got our hands on an internal affairs report, done by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

In it, Deputy Hood, provided a sworn statement that he was not using his department issued laptop at the time.

The detective investigating the incident says that while the computer was turned on, there is no evidence that Hood was using it.

Hood is expected back in court on March 18.