A crash involving a drunk driver in Valrico sent six people to the hospital — including two Hillsborough County police deputies.
The early morning crash happened on May 10, 2020, near the intersection of Church Street and Highway 60 East. According to reports, the police deputies were parked on the media nearby, monitoring the passing traffic for suspected drunk drivers — when a 2016 Chevy Impala heading eastbound jumped the median and slammed headlong into one patrol car and sideways into the other.
The 25-year-old driver admitted that he had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving his three friends home from a nearby restaurant. All four of the people inside the Impala were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment. Both of the police deputies were also injured and required treatment. While none of the injuries were life-threatening, at least one of the deputies suffered a broken ankle — a painful injury that is sure to be limiting for a while.
Everyone knows that drunk driving is a bad idea. It’s dangerous. It’s illegal. Yet, people do it anyhow. Much of the time, they fool themselves into believing that they are “sober enough” for the short trip they need to make because they don’t feel “buzzed” or disoriented.
But disorientation and the feeling “buzzed” aren’t the only dangers of alcohol use. Alcohol is also a sedative. As this case illustrates, it’s possible that a few drinks can leave a driver so sleepy that they can’t stay awake through their drive.
If you’re injured in a wreck with a drunk driver — or anyone who has been drinking — you have every right to expect fair compensation for your losses. Find out how you can take the next steps.
