LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A driver hit a Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy and another man as they stood alongside a road in the early hours of the Fourth of July holiday, Florida Highway Patrol investigators say.
Troopers said Deputy Austin Pringle, 27, from Sorrento, and Cerontae Hodge, 22, of Leesburg, were standing on the side of the northbound lanes of Grays Airport Road near Wendy Boulevard around 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.
A driver in a Chevy Camaro that was headed northbound hit Pringle and Hodge, troopers said.
"It's horrifying to receive a phone call that one of your deputies has been injured," said Capt. Todd English of the Lake County Sheriff's Office. "Absolutely one of the worst calls you can get."
According to English, Pringle was investigating alleged car burglaries in the area at the time, and was questioning Hodge at the time of the crash.
English said Pringle tried to save the man he was questioning.
"That tells me we hired a good man. A good public servant for Lake County that's willing to put his life on the line to protect others," English said. "Thank the lord he's going to be OK."
According to FHP investigators, the woman driving the Camaro saw the headlights of the deputy’s car, but did not realize it was a police car.
Pringle and Hodge are both being treated for serious injuries, troopers said.
Troopers said alcohol was not a factor in the crash. The driver of the Camaro has not been charged.
Download the free WFTV News & Weather apps
Location of the crash investigation:
Cox Media Group
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/B62QQBSTIFBZJOQD2O7LFC3UCY.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LCS5AGIE3FGBJBML3BBGC2LIAA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/BWBRMFGKF5G6JIHN57QLD4CZHE.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/AYQBQQOY4BCWLMWYQ4HFMHPKRQ.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/DD4XJ7ZZGRG2DAP6YBAF36ZVYM.jpeg)