TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released more information on the injuries that a deputy sustained after his patrol car was hit by an accused drunk driver over the weekend.
Deputy Ivan Clark, 47, suffered "a number of injuries," including a lower back fracture and a fractured collar bone. All of the ligaments in his right knee were also torn, according to a spokesperson for the sheriff's office.
Troopers responded to the crash on State Road 674 and 15th Street where the driver of a Ford pickup truck is said to have ran a stop sign and collided with a patrol car late Saturday night. The truck was traveling southbound on 15th Street and entered the path of the deputy, who was driving westbound on the state road, according to a news release from troopers.
The sheriff's office said Deputy Clark was responding to a reckless driving call when he was hit. The car flipped several times into the median and Clark was thrown from the car, according to officials.
Troopers said the truck driver was 25-year-old Uriel Garcia Nestor and determined he was under the influence.
"Our thoughts are with Deputy Clark, his family and friends during this difficult time," said Sheriff Chad Chronister in a release. “This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers impaired drivers pose to our community. It is deeply disappointing that someone would make the reckless decision to drive impaired, not only endangering their own life but putting everyone else on the road at risk.”
Clark was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries and is stable, deputies said.
Nestor was arrested for DUI injury, DUI property damage and driving with a suspended license. The judge set his bond totaling $11,00 and ordered that he must obtain a private SCRAM monitoring device, which is an ankle bracelet that measures blood alcohol concentration through sweat samples.
Clark has been with the sheriff's office since May of 2015. He currently is assigned to the DUI Unit.