MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An SUV struck a Miami-Dade police officer on a motorcycle Thursday morning in northwest Miami-Dade, seriously injuring the officer, authorities said.
Surveillance video from nearby shows the crash as it occurred at the intersection of Northwest 36th Street and 53rd Avenue, just north of Miami International Airport.
Sky 10 was above the scene just after 7 a.m. as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue trucks were parked in the area.
A friend of the officer identified him as 49-year-old Matt Larsh.
According to Miami-Dade police, Larsh, who is assigned to the Kendall District, was on his way to in-service motor training in Miami Springs.
Police said a vehicle cut him off, which caused the collision.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported Larsh to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Fellow officers gathered and prayed outside of the hospital.
According to police, the officer suffered broken bones and lacerations and will likely face a long road to recovery.
“He’s a really super nice guy,” Larsh’s friend, Juan Acevedo, said. “You know, all of these officers are always putting themselves on the line all the time. As a motorman, you put yourself on the line even more because as soon as you sit on the motorcycle, you’re in danger all the time.”
Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta, who is also a spokesman for the police department, said the other driver, a man whose identity has not been released, was the sole occupant of his vehicle. He said the man refused medical attention.
According to Zabaleta, Larsh has been on the force for 15 years.
The investigation remains ongoing.