HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – A routine traffic stop turned into a chaotic scene Saturday morning after a Hernando County Sheriff’s deputy and a local driver collided on US-41, leaving a patrol car overturned and both men in the hospital.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the wreck happened around 10:40 a.m. just north of Grand Entrada Boulevard. Troopers say the 28-year-old deputy was heading south, reportedly hitting his stride to catch up with a speeding vehicle, when a 69-year-old man from Weeki Wachee pulled his Nissan Rogue into the intersection.
Investigators say the Nissan was traveling east across the highway, directly into the path of the oncoming patrol car.
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The impact was violent. After the two vehicles slammed into each other, the sheriff’s cruiser flipped multiple times before finally coming to a stop. Meanwhile, the Nissan spun out across the asphalt, blocking the travel lanes.
Passersby witnessed a mess of twisted metal and debris, but the outcome was better than it looked. Both the deputy and the driver of the Nissan managed to survive the crash with injuries that authorities described as non-life-threatening.
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Paramedics arrived quickly at the scene and transported both men to a nearby hospital for treatment.
FHP has not yet released the names of the individuals involved or indicated if any citations will be issued.
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