MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A Miami-Dade police narcotics officer and his K-9 partner were treated for injuries after they were involved in a crash on Wednesday on Florida’s Turnpike.
“He’s resting with his family and his law enforcement family, and we’re just very thankful right now,” Miami-Dade Police Director Alfredo Ramirez said.
The crash happened just after 3 p.m. Wednesday on the Turnpike near Southwest 211th Street.
A smashed windshield is just part of the obvious damage on the unmarked police vehicle -- a dark-colored Chevy Tahoe.
The truck collided with doubles as an all-terrain crane.
The impact caused the SUV to roll over, and sent debris flying across the northbound lanes of the highway.
Police shut down the highway, in part, to airlift the officer to the hospital, who was in critical but stable condition.
“When you get that call, your heart stops,” Ramirez said. “You worry like it’s a family member, just like your own family, and you worry right away for his condition and you drive everybody crazy trying to find out how he’s doing while he’s getting here to the hospital.”
Fellow policemen and women raced to the hospital to support their colleague. Some of them were visibly emotional as they awaited updates from doctors.
The officer is a 17-year veteran of the force who was on duty on a routine patrol at the time.
His K-9 partner named Fox suffered minor injuries and was treated by a veterinarian.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.