Thomas McClave (Photo: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)
A fire district chief in St. Pete Beach has been arrested and is facing multiple assault charged following an road rage incident that police say occurred Thursday evening.
The 5:30 p.m. encounter between District Chief Thomas McClave, 55, and bicyclist Gregory Hicks, 58, led to Pinellas County sheriff’s deputies being called to the scene at on Gulf Boulevard near 175th Avenue in Redington Shores, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
According to authorities, Hicks, was riding his bicycle in the shared bicycle-vehicle travel lane, southbound on Gulf Boulevard. McClave, who was off-duty and driving behind Hicks in his personally owned 2017 Chevrolet Pickup truck, “pulled alongside Hicks, yelling for him to get out of the roadway,” the statement said.
“After briefly yelling back and forth at each other, Hicks rode his bicycle onto the raised median of Gulf Boulevard,” police said. “McClave followed Hicks with his pickup, intentionally driving it onto the raised median and almost striking Hicks, who had to swerve out of the way.”
The incident did not end there, according to officials.
Deputies say McClave exited his vehicle, approached Hicks, and shoved him in the chest twice. McClave also allegedly knocked a cell phone out of Hicks’ hands as he was trying to record the incident.
McClave was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated assault with a Motor Vehicle and one count of Simple Battery and transported to the Pinellas County Jail.
McClave has been employed with the St. Pete Beach Fire Department as a district fire chief since November 2023.
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