A Sanford officer was seriously injured while investigating the scene of an accident after he was struck by a car just hours before another vehicle crashed into the same scene.
The accidents took place on the evening of Thursday, December 14, according to a statement issued by the Sanford Police Department.
That evening, a community service officer was standing outside of a marked police vehicle with emergency lights activated while investigating a traffic accident that occurred at the intersection of State Road 46 and Summerlin Avenue.
While the officer was investigating, a vehicle drove through the scene and crashed into the officer before barreling into the marked police vehicle.
The officer, whose identity was not provided by authorities, was transported to a local hospital with several serious injuries, according to SPD.
After the incident, traffic investigators began processing the scene of the previous crash and closed westbound SR 46 by positioning several marked police vehicles with emergency lights in front of the lanes.
Around three hours after the second accident, another vehicle crashed into one of the marked police vehicles being used to block off the scene. The police vehicle was not occupied at the time of the crash.
“The holidays are a busy time and there are more drivers out on the roadways. Stay aware of your surroundings. Avoid distractions while driving and give yourself ample time to arrive at your destination,” reads a statement from SPD.
The crashes took place on the same day that an Apopka Police Officer was injured in a head-on collision while he was transporting an individual to a local treatment facility.