Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau

Thomas McClave (Suspect – Arrested)
Age: 55
Employer: St. Pete Beach Fire Department
Charges: Aggravated Assault with a Motor Vehicle and Simple Battery 

Gregory Hicks (Victim -Uninjured)
DOB: 07/31/1965

PINELLAS COUNTY – On Thursday, May 23, 2024, at approximately 5:10 p.m., deputies assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau arrested 55-year-old Thomas McClave, an off-duty district fire chief, for Aggravated Assault with a Motor Vehicle and Simple Battery. 

According to deputies, the victim, 58-year-old Gregory Hicks, was riding his bicycle in the shared bicycle/vehicle travel lane, southbound on Gulf Boulevard near 175^th Avenue in Redington Shores. McClave was off-duty and driving behind Hicks in his personally owned 2017 Chevrolet Pickup truck.

Deputies say McClave pulled alongside Hicks, yelling for him to get out of the roadway. After briefly yelling back and forth at each other, Hicks rode his bicycle onto the raised median of Gulf Boulevard. 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. Deputies say McClave exited his vehicle, approached Hicks, and shoved him in the chest twice. McClave also knocked a cell phone out of Hick's hands, as he was trying to record the incident.

McClave has been employed with the St. Pete Beach Fire Department as a district fire chief since November 2023.

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.

Below is McClave’s booking photo: