By Robbyn Mitchell and Danny Valentine, Times Staff Writers
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
TEMPLE TERRACE — A police officer suffered minor injuries after colliding with another vehicle while he was trying to stop a red-light runner Tuesday night, according to police.
Officer Tim Crocker, 32, was released from the University Community Hospital Wednesday morning. He has been with the department for less than one year, police said.
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 U-turn during a red light.
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 St. Joseph's Hospital. She was listed in stable condition on Wednesday, police said. She was not wearing her seatbelt, police said.
There is no description of the vehicle that made the illegal turn.
No charges had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon.
Follow This Just In on Twitter.