APOPKA, Fla. – An Apopka police officer, a 12-year-old girl in his cruiser and another driver were injured early Thursday when a marked patrol car was struck by a vehicle and overturned on State Road 436 in Orange County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
The wreck happened around 1 a.m. on S.R. 436 near Otter Lane, east of U.S. 441.
The FHP said a 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by a 22-year-old Apopka man was eastbound on S.R. 436, but the driver failed to maintain his lane and struck the marked cruiser, which was traveling west, head-on.
The cruiser ended up on its roof after the crash, video from the scene shows.
The police officer and the girl were taken to Advent Health Apopka but were expected to be OK, troopers said.
The man who struck the Apopka police cruiser suffered critical injuries and was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, according to the FHP.
Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley released a statement after the crash.
“We are thankful that the injuries sustained by our officer and the passenger were not more severe. Despite the gravity of the situation, the potential outcomes could have been far more tragic. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to our officer, the passenger in the police vehicle, and the driver of the other involved vehicle during their recovery,” McKinley said.
The police cruiser was not equipped with a dash camera, officials said.
The FHP initially said the Nissan was driving the wrong way on S.R. 436 without any lights on.
No other details have been released.
An @ApopkaPolice officer is recovering after being involved in a crash with a wrong-way driver overnight.
— Mark Lehman (@MarkLehman6) December 14, 2023
The crash happened on Semoran Blvd near Lake Pleasant Rd.
The man, who investigators say was driving the wrong way with his headlights off, is in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/OxVipeD6J7