Palm Beach Post Staff Report
TALLAHASSEE, Fl. — An officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission died Saturday night when her all terrain vehicle hit a gate during a routine patrol in the Rotenberger Wildlife Management Area in Broward County. Michelle Lawless, 47, had been working in the northwest corner of the management area near the L5 Canal and the Palm Beach county line when she apparently crashed into the gate, causing her to be ejected from the vehicle. Florida Highway Patrol in Broward is investigating the accident. Lawless was airlifted to Delray Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Lawless had been with the conservation's Division of Law Enforcement since May of 2003. "I graduated from the academy with her," said Jorge Pino, spokesman with the conservation commission. After finishing the academy, she was assigned to Broward County, where she made sure alligators and other species in the Everglades were not targeted, specially at night. "This is a painful loss to the entire agency, her family and friends," said Major Brett Norton, commander of law enforcement for the region.