PULLED-OVER MOTORIST HELPS FLORIDA DEPUTY STRUCK BY CAR

A car driven by a man who was charged with driving under the influence struck and injured a Polk County sheriff's deputy who was issuing a ticket to another motorist on Saturday. Charles Keeney III was charged with drunken driving and careless driving after his 2004 Chevy pickup plowed into two vehicles, including the deputy's patrol car, causing minor injuries to the deputy and thousands of dollars in damage to all of the vehicles.

Polk County sheriff's Deputy Justin Brown initiated a traffic stop on a motorist driving a 2003 Lexus on the west side of the southbound lane of Highway 27, just south of B-Moore Road near Haines City at about 4:30 a.m. While standing between the Lexus and his patrol car, Brown heard the driver of the Lexus, Frank Rodriguez Gomez, tell him to "Watch out," according to a sheriff's report.

Brown jumped up and was hit by his patrol car as it was pushed into the Lexus, according to the report. Brown struck the windshield of his patrol car and rolled off the hood, the report stated. Brown was transported to the Winter Haven Hospital and was treated and released with a sore shoulder, leg, and ankle. Estimated damage to the patrol car was $8,000.

Gomez was able to move out of the way of the oncoming pickup and was not injured. The Lexus was pushed across both southbound lanes of Highway 27 and came to a stop in the grass median, causing about $5,000 worth of damage to the car. Brown and Gomez were discussing the reason for the traffic stop -- a faulty tag light -- when the crash occurred. It is not known if Gomez was issued a ticket.