Davie Officer Struck On I-75 Speaks Publicly For 1st Time
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – Wheeled into a news conference with a brace on her leg, flanked by her husband and mother, Davie police Sgt. Patricia Ravine was visibly emotional.
She was speaking for the first time publicly about her near-death experience on the side of I-75 five weeks ago.
"It has been so warming to feel the support from my family," she said. "My husband and my mom have been with me 24 hours a day since the crash."
On the night of August 3rd, Sgt. Ravine stopped to check on a white Ford Explorer that had rolled over on the side of I-75 in Weston.
As she was walking along the shoulder of the highway, another driver in a Kia swerved suddenly to avoid hitting Ravine's patrol car, but the driver ended up hitting her instead.
She sustained serious injuries and has been undergoing intensive physical therapy.
""I have injuries throughout many areas of my body that I'm currently getting therapy for and seeing my doctors, and just trying to overcome," she said. "So I can get back to what I love and that's serving the community and being a police officer."
The hardest part of her recovery?
"I just can't help my kids the way that I could before," Ravine said crying.
The 35-year-old sergeant and her husband – who is also in law enforcement – have four children together, ages 12 to 15.
Shawn Ravine says she's the strongest person he's ever known.
"I know it's a long road and I'm confident that she's going to do everything she can to get back to being herself," he said.
A member of the Davie police force for the past 10 years, Ravine says she is eager to return to work.
But she has these words of warning to Florida drivers.
"It's not just about their safety when they're driving. It's about everybody else's safety and I would tell drivers that you need to pay attention to your surroundings," she said. "Leave your texting for when you've reached your destination."
