Orange County Deputy Injured in Stolen Car Hit-and-Run

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on December 17, 2017

On Wednesday of last week, a deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol when they were called in to assist in the pursuit of a stolen vehicle just after 11:30 in the morning. According to the report, the unnamed deputy was following the vehicle along South Goldenrod Road when the two cars neared Pershing Avenue. Somehow, and this is something that one hopes will be fleshed out in future reports from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the driver of the stolen vehicle managed to either get themselves behind the trailing cruiser or simply turned around so that the two vehicles were face to face.

Either way, the reportedly stolen car, a black pickup truck, crashed violently into the police vehicle, bounced off the cruiser, and then crashed again, this time into a concrete pylon used to support a series of light poles. The driver of the pickup truck, later identified as an 18-year-old Rivera, then accelerated and fled away from the area.

The deputy, still sitting in their now disabled vehicle, was injured and called for help. Paramedics and other officers arrived at the scene and then transported the officer to Winter Park Hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The initial report did not indicate whether or not the injuries were severe, and it also failed to state if the officer was released later that day or found themselves required to remain in the medical facility until further notice from the doctors.

Shortly after colliding with the deputy’s vehicle and the concrete pylon, Rivera was stopped by additional deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Public Information Officer for the department, Jeff Williamson, said that Rivera is currently facing numerous charges. These include aggravated battery on a member of the law enforcement, aggravated assault on a member of the law enforcement, and grand theft. It is not clear whether or not Rivera was granted bail or if they are still inside of a Orange County Jail. It is also not clear whether or not a court date was set for the young person.

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.