ST. PETERSBURG — Police say a driver struck an officer's cruiser while the officer was responding to a serious crash early Monday.
The officer, 44-year-old John Martini, stopped about 3 a.m. at Gandy Boulevard and Interstate 275 after a Chrysler PT Cruiser veered off the road and hit a traffic signal control box on eastbound Gandy, police said. The passenger in the car was seriously injured.
While Martini was exiting his cruiser, 26-year-old Kimberly M. Argue, of Largo, hit the rear of his car with her 2004 silver Toyota Corolla, police said. She drove away but was pursued by a Florida Highway Patrol trooper also responding to the original crash.
Argue was stopped about a mile east of the crash scene. She was charged with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.
Martini was treated at Edward White Hospital and later released.
The PT Cruiser passenger was taken to Bayfront Medical Center in critical condition. The driver suffered less serious injuries.
Traffic homicide detectives are investigating and will release more details as they become available, police said.
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