By Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
TEMPLE TERRACE — A police officer trying to stop a driver making an illegal turn collided with another vehicle and was injured Tuesday night, a city spokesman said.
Officer Tim Crocker was stopped at a red light while traveling east on Busch Boulevard around 9:45 p.m. He spotted a car across the intersection making an illegal turn.
The officer turned on his emergency lights and pulled into the intersection at Busch Boulevard and N 56th Street to stop the car, spokesman Michael Dunn said.
But that's when his cruiser and a sport utility vehicle collided instead.
The passenger side of his cruiser was struck by a Lexus driven by Ornela Drazhi, 18, of 10902 N 50th St. Drazhi, who was headed north on 56th Street, could have had her view obstructed by another nearby vehicle, Dunn said.
She was not injured, but her mother, Leljeta Drazhi, 40, of Zephyrhills, was a passenger and was taken to a hospital with unreported injuries.
Crocker was taken to University Community Hospital with undisclosed injuries. Dunn said the officer was conscious after the crash.
No charges had been filed Tuesday night.
