FLORIDA TROOPER HIT 5 TIMES ASKS DRIVERS TO MOVE OVER

A police officer who got out of his patrol car to move a trash can from a southbound lane of the Buckman Bridge on Tuesday afternoon received a minor injury when he was struck by a car. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Deputy C.S. Humphrey activated his emergency lights and stopped in the emergency lane just after 5 p.m.

One car stopped due to the obstruction and the police cruiser when a second car driven by Michelle Crowe, of Orange Park, failed to stop in time and struck the first car, which spun around and hit Humphrey. The FHP said Humphrey suffered very minor injuries and did not require medical treatment. Accident investigators estimated that both vehicles sustained $5,000 damage.

The incident was still under investigation and the FHP has not said whether Crowe would be cited.

Despite Florida's well-publicized move-over law , many drivers simply don't move when they see an emergency vehicle on the highway.

Tuesday's incident was the second crash involving an injury to an officer in less than 30 days.

FHP Trooper Kenneth Washington was writing an accident report in his patrol car along Interstate 95 on June 29 when an SUV sideswiped the FHP vehicle, then struck and killed a tow-truck operator loading a car form a previous wreck. Since that crash, Washington has been involved in another collision -- his fifth.

"Any of them could have been worse than what they were," Washington said.

The FHP trooper said he's blessed. His patrol car was totaled when it was hit by a car on I-95 last weekend while he was helping a driver who ran out of gas. "I heard an explosion and looked behind me and saw a vehicle that had collided with mine," Washington said.

Washington said despite his five close calls, he will be back on the road, but added it's important for people to know the law -- when you see emergency vehicles stopped along the road with lights on, move over and slow down.

"A lot of incidents that occurred could be avoided if motorists would just pay attention, slow down and move over," said FHP Lt. Bill Leeper.

Police said crashes like those Washing has been involved in happen all of the time. Washington said he thinks about it every time he makes a traffic stop.

"I think everybody is just in a hurry. I can be in an emergency mode and people won't get out of the way. They see my lights, they try to pass me," Washington said.