Morning Crash in Hillsborough City Injures Four Civilians, Two Deputies

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on May 17, 2020

It was sometime during the early morning in mid-May that an incident took place within Hillsborough County, close to Tampa, that resulted in the injury of six people, two of whom are deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Reports from the HCSO suggest that the auto accident took place shortly before 2:00 in the morning on Sunday, May 10th, and that there were two vehicles involved. One of these vehicles, a cruiser with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, was parked along the median of Highway 60, close to the intersection with Church Street. The officers within this vehicle were on DUI patrol, keeping a close eye on all cars passing through the area to ensure compliance with Florida’s policy regarding driving while intoxicated.

As the two watched the road, another vehicle being driven by a 25-year-old entered the area. It is believed that the car being driven by the 25-year-old also contained three other individuals. The reports did not indicate where the four people were coming from, and no information surfaced in the initial reports to suggest where they might be going. We do know that as they approached the area where the two deputies sat watching the road, something happened to cause the driver of the car to lose control, jump over the median, and begin racing towards the cruiser.

The reports did not indicate whether or not the deputy behind the wheel of the police cruiser was aware of the oncoming vehicle. Regardless, neither the driver of the police vehicle nor the civilian driver were able to change course quickly enough and the two cars collided heavily with one another. A preliminary investigation found that the driver of the civilian vehicle claimed to be asleep at the time of the accident, but deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office maintain their stance that alcohol played a role. It is not clear if they possess any information to back up this claim, but perhaps more will be forthcoming in future updates.

As a result of the crash, all six people involved suffered from injuries. It is not known how severe any of these injuries were, and it is not known if anyone remains hospitalized as a result of the crash.

Sources:

• Authorities: Suspected Drunk Driver Causes Crash, Injures 6 Including 2 Deputies

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.