Two Florida Highway Patrol troopers are recovering in hospital after a crash on Florida’s Turnpike. The accident left a patrol car mangled and shut down a stretch of one of South Florida’s busiest highways.
Investigators say the troopers had pulled onto the shoulder to deal with a flat tire when an SUV drifted out of the travel lanes and slammed into them. The collision unfolded in the northbound lanes near Northwest 106th Street in Medley, Miami-Dade County.
Reports of the incident sent emergency crews racing to the scene and brought traffic to a halt for hours. Authorities say both troopers survived injuries that could have been fatal.
By Tuesday, officials reported they remained hospitalized in stable condition and were expected to recover. That aftermath brought relief in what could have been a much more terrible tragedy.
Flat Tire Leads Troopers to the Shoulder
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident occurred between about 10:40 and 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 15, near the Turnpike’s 33-mile marker. An FHP silver pickup truck towing a trailer suffered a flat tire while traveling northbound. The pickup pulled onto the left emergency shoulder.
Following behind was a marked FHP Dodge Charger patrol car. Troopers positioned the Charger behind the disabled truck with its emergency lights activated to alert approaching motorists and provide protection while they addressed the tire issue.
At some point during the stop, Sergeant Alexis Otaño, 54, exited the patrol car and was standing outside near the trailer. Trooper Amaury Quinones, 32, remained inside the Charger. Then, investigators say, another vehicle entered the scene.
Cadillac SUV Slams Into Patrol Car
Florida Highway Patrol identified the driver as 28-year-old Yesmel Rodriguez Moreno. According to investigators, Rodriguez Moreno was behind the wheel of a black Cadillac SUV when he veered off the roadway and struck the rear of the parked Dodge Charger.
The force of the collision drove the patrol car forward into the trailer. Otaño, who was positioned between the Charger and the trailer, was struck during the chain reaction. Quinones, seated inside the patrol car, also sustained injuries as the Charger absorbed the impact.
Sky 10 aerial footage showed the Charger with extensive rear damage and the Cadillac stopped in the roadway nearby. Debris littered the Turnpike as emergency personnel worked around the wreckage.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded to the crash and shut down all northbound lanes near Northwest 106th Street. Otaño was airlifted from the highway to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital. Reports indicated he suffered injuries that included a fractured leg.
Quinones was transported by ambulance to the same hospital after suffering head trauma. Florida Highway Patrol officials later said both men were conscious, speaking with medical staff, and expected to survive. Rodriguez Moreno sustained minor injuries and also received medical treatment.
Investigators revealed that Rodriguez Moreno had been driving with a suspended license. Authorities also obtained a blood sample to determine whether impairment played any role in the crash.
As of June 16 and June 17, no toxicology findings had been released and formal charges tied to impairment had not been announced. Officials indicated charges connected to the suspended license and crash remained under review.
Troopers’ Recovery Sparks Support and Safety Message
Florida Highway Patrol leaders described the outcome as fortunate given the damage left behind. “They are extremely lucky to have survived that incident,” FHP Chief Matthew Williams said outside the hospital following the crash. “(It) obviously could’ve been a lot worse.”
Both troopers, who are based in Broward County, remained hospitalized but stable in the days following the collision. Support efforts, including a “Florida Strong” fund, were established to assist them and their families during recovery.
The crash has renewed attention on Florida’s Move Over law, which requires drivers to change lanes when approaching stopped emergency vehicles displaying lights or, when a lane change cannot be made safely, reduce their speed.
For the troopers recovering in hospital, investigators say compliance with that law may have made all the difference. Instead, a stop on the shoulder turned into a collision that nearly claimed two lives.