PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A routine enforcement operation turned dangerous early Thursday morning when a driver failed to yield to emergency lights, slamming into a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser and a stopped van.
The crash occurred at approximately 6:40 a.m. on Bay Pines Boulevard as morning commuter traffic was building near Seahorse Drive.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 24-year-old Trooper had initiated a traffic stop on a Ford E250 van driven by a 75-year-old man from Pinellas Park. The Trooper’s marked Dodge Charger was stationary on the roadside with its emergency lights activated.
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Investigators say a Jeep Cherokee, driven by a 64-year-old St. Petersburg man, was traveling eastbound approaching the scene. The driver of the Jeep failed to yield to the stationary vehicles and collided with both the patrol car and the van.
Despite the impact, the Trooper and the van’s driver escaped the incident unharmed. The driver of the Jeep sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing.
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