Hundreds Line Roads To Pay Their Respects; Funeral Set For Deputy

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Hundreds of residents, law enforcement officers, firefighters and community leaders lined Ulmerton Road and U.S. 19 to pay their respects to a Pinellas County sheriff's deputy who lost his life in the line of duty.

On Thursday, the body of Deputy Michael J. Magli was taken from the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office to the Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home in Holiday.

"February 17th, 2021, will forever be our darkest day," wrote the sheriff's office on its Facebook page following the procession. "The outpouring of love for Deputy Magli and his family is overwhelming. What we saw today brought some light to the darkness. Thank you. Please continue to keep Deputy Magli, his family and our PCSO family in your thoughts and prayers. "

The sheriff's office posted a video of the procession on Facebook and Twitter showing those gathered along the procession.

Meanwhile, residents have been dropping off flowers and cards at a temporary memorial at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office administration building at 10750 Ulmerton Road in Largo.

Funeral arrangements are scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz. Members of the public who wish to attend are reminded that parking is limited and the church capacity has been reduced to follow CDC guidelines. Masks will be required inside the church and doors will open to the public at 10 a.m.

Immediately following the service, guests will be directed outside the church for a special ceremony including a 21-gun salute, a riderless horse, a last call and a flyover.

Following funeral services, a full law enforcement procession will lead Deputy Magli to his final resting place for a private burial with family and close friends. The procession will start at Idlewild Baptist Church and travel to the Trinity Memorial Gardens at 12609 Memorial Drive in Trinity.

Members of the public who wish to show their support during the procession to the Trinity Memorial Gardens are encouraged to line the side of State Road 54 between the Suncoast Parkway and Community Drive no later than 12:30 p.m.

A website page has been created with all processional and memorial video, information for the funeral services, a place to leave messages for the family and information about Magli.

The U.S. Honor Flag, escorted by the Florida Highway Patrol Honor Guard, will be on display at the funeral. The U.S. Honor Flag has traveled to the battlefields of Iraq, Afghanistan, traveled aboard the last space shuttle launch in 2011, and has honored thousands of American heroes in LawEnforcement, Fire, EMS, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces.

For those who wish to offer Magli's family financial support, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office has created the Deputy Michael J. Magli Memorial Fund. The fund is open for all donations and will serve as the officially recognized fund for the Magli family. Those interested in donating are asked to visit any SunTrust bank location to contribute.

Checks can be mailed to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Fiscal Affairs Bureau made payable to the Memorial for Michael J. Magli, P.O. Drawer 2500, Largo, FL 33779-2500.

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said 33-year-old Robert Allen Holzaepfel had a blood-alcohol level of .230 percent when he struck and killed Magli on Wednesday.

Under Florida law, a driver can be declared legally drunk with a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent.

The deputy was killed while trying to stop Holzaepfel's 2002 white Ford F150 pickup truck.

Around 4:15 p.m., Holzaepfel, who is homeless, was found passed out behind the wheel of his pickup at the intersection of Forelock Road and East Lake Road in unincorporated Tarpon Springs

Rescue crews broke out a window to assist Holzaepfel. Holzaepfel then awoke and fled the scene, driving recklessly north on East Lake Road and east on Keystone Road, trying to evade deputies.

According to investigators, Magli was traveling north on East Lake Road and stopped in the median to place stop sticks, a tire deflation device, to stop the pickup truck.

Magli was standing outside his sheriff's SUV when Holzaepfel entered the median and lost control of his truck. The pickup truck flipped over and collided with Magli and his patrol vehicle.

Magli was pinned under his patrol vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Holzaepfel was not hurt in the crash.

He has been charged with first-degree murder, DUI manslaughter, driving while his license was suspended, leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage and aggravated fleeing and eluding police officers.

Magli is survived by his wife, two children and his parents. He had been with the sheriff's office since 2013.

Detectives are requesting the public's assistance to locate people whose vehicles were damaged during Holzaepfel's attempt to evade deputies on East Lake Road north of Forelock Road and on Keystone Road and Woodfield Boulevard between 4:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Additionally, investigators are seeking video footage that captured the crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective J. Syers at 727-582-6215 or jsyersjr@pcsonet.com.

See related story: Deputy Killed After Being Struck By Driver Under Pursuit