RUSKIN, Fla. (WFLA) — A Hillsborough County deputy was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries after officials said a drunk driver slammed into his patrol car Saturday night.
Around 10:30 p.m., Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to a crash on SR-674 and 15th Street in Ruskin involving an unmarked Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office Chevy Tahoe.
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Officials said 25-year-old Uriel Garcia Nestor, of Ruskin, was driving his Ford pickup southbound on 15th street when he ran a stop sign and collided with the deputy, identified as Deputy Ivan Clark, who had been traveling westbound on SR-674.
The crash caused the deputy’s vehicle to flip several times into the median, ejecting Deputy Clark from the vehicle, according to officials.
The 47-year-old deputy was airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
FHP suspected Nestor had been under the influence, and later discovered his blood alcohol level was 0.121.