HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was briefly hospitalized after he lost control of his patrol car and crashed into a ditch while chasing after a driver, the agency said in a release.
The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5 on Hobson Simmons Road in Lithia. However, the chase started in Riverview in the area of Balm Boyette Road and Boyette Road.
According to FHP, the trooper saw the driver of a Volkswagen Jetta speeding down the road and tried to pull them over. However, the Jetta driver didn't stop. This resulted in a chase that led the trooper down Hobson Simmons Road.
Once on the road, the trooper lost control of his patrol car and hit both a ditch and a tree. Because he crashed, the trooper lost sight of the Jetta.
Other FHP troopers came to assist and said they found the Jetta about a mile away. It was abandoned. Even with a K-9 search, FHP says troopers still haven't found the driver.
The injured trooper was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. FHP says the trooper has returned to duty as of Sunday afternoon.