CLEARWATER, Fla. — A man from Largo is accused of driving while intoxicated after he allegedly slammed into a Clearwater police cruiser on the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
Jerry Sandefur Jr., 45, faces multiple charges including DUI with property damage, possession of marijuana and violation of probation.
The crash happened at 11 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities said a police cruiser was stopped on the side of the road with emergency lights activated
The police officer was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released. Officials said Sandefur was also taken to a local hospital before being booked into Pinellas County Jail.
Following his arrest, police said Sandefur admitted to smoking marijuana, having an alcoholic drink and being on various pain medications prior to the crash.
"Our officer or any of the other people in the other vehicles could have been killed or seriously injured as a result of this man's egregious driving behavior," Police Chief Eric Gandy said in a statement. "There are so many red flags here - failing to move over or slow down, not to mention drinking and driving, as well as smoking marijuana and mixing in pain pills."
The department added that many of its vehicles have been destroyed on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in similar crashes.
"Florida law requires drivers to move over a lane when you can safely do so for stopped law enforcement, emergency, sanitation, utility service vehicles, tow trucks or wreckers, maintenance or construction vehicles with displaying warning lights, and any disabled vehicle on the side of the road," officers said.
"The law is simple: Move over, slow down," Gandy added. "Our officers' lives depend on that."
