Miami-Dade sheriff urges drivers to stay alert following injuries to deputy involved in crash
MIAMI - Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz is urging drivers to stay vigilant on the road after a sheriff's motor deputy was injured in a crash Wednesday afternoon.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Southwest 138th Avenue and 152nd Street around 2:45 p.m.
The deputy, a 35-year-old eight-year veteran of the force, was patrolling westbound when a driver headed eastbound turned into his path while entering a shopping plaza.
Cordero-Stutz said the crash left the deputy with multiple fractures. The unidentified injured deputy was rushed to Jackson South Medical Center, where he is in critical but stable condition, undergoing assessment and treatment, the sheriff said.
"This is the kind of call no department, no law enforcement officer and no sheriff ever wants to get," Cordero-Stutz said during a press conference at the hospital. "We are asking the community to keep our deputy and his family in your prayers."
The sheriff also used the incident to highlight the dangers motorcyclists, particularly law enforcement motor officers, face on the road. She emphasized the importance of driver awareness, calling for motorists to eliminate distractions and focus on their surroundings.
"Motorcycles don't have the advantage that cars do," Cordero-Stutz said. "Please, put down the phone, stop texting, put away anything that takes your attention off the road. It can wait."
The sheriff noted that the cause of the crash is still under investigation and it remains unclear whether the driver who turned into the deputy's path was distracted.
However, Cordero-Stutz said her warning applies broadly to all drivers, emphasizing the risks that distractions pose.
"Motors is one of the most dangerous jobs in law enforcement," she said. "Just two months ago, three deputies on motors lost their lives in West Palm Beach due to a car accident. These dangers affect not just law enforcement but anyone on a motorcycle."
The injured deputy's family and a large group of fellow deputies were at the hospital offering support.
Cordero-Stutz said the department is focusing on both the deputy's recovery and reinforcing the importance of safe driving.
"Take a moment and be more cautious," Cordero-Stutz said. "It could save a life."
