TWO OFF-DUTY DEPUTIES INJURED DURING BUSY NIGHT AT LOCAL BAR

Early Thursday morning, an off-duty Orange County sheriff's deputy was hospitalized after he was hit by a car. Another deputy was punched outside the same bar in Orange County. Thursday morning, one of the deputies was back on duty. He was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but was treated and released.

A Florida Highway Patrol trooper interviewed the driver of a Chevy Impala after he hit an off-duty deputy directing traffic outside Scoop bar near Alafaya Trail and East Colonial Drive early Thursday morning. Another driver was right behind that crash and saw what happened.

"He hit him and the deputy came off ground and then landed on his feet," said Derek Ketterman, an eyewitness. Troopers don't believe the driver was drunk, but said they will charge him with careless driving. Sheriff's deputies could be seen in a heated argument with bar workers. They were talking about another off-duty deputy who was hit by a man who didn't want to go home earlier in the morning.

The patron faces trespassing and battery charges. Deputies say they've been to Scoop before. "I'm not going to go as far as to say it's a problem location, but we do come out here from time to time," said Cmdr. Rick Luckey of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. As part of their protocol, off-duty sheriff's deputies do have a number to call if they need assistance.