Drunken, wrong-way driver crashes into state trooper in Pasco, officials say

A wrong-way driver crashed into a state patrol car early Saturday morning in Pasco County after a trooper stationed the car in the driver’s path, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers arrested Adonis Francisco Adames, 23, of Zephyrhills. They charged him with driving in the wrong direction and driving under the influence.

Troopers received a report of a wrong-way driver around 2:40 a.m. Adames was driving north on Interstate 275, near milepost 50, in the southbound lanes. Troopers responded to the area as Adames continued north and got onto Interstate 75 in the southbound lanes, according to the Highway Patrol.

A trooper positioned his patrol car north of State Road 56 in the path of the wrong-way driver. Adames, driving a red 2021 Toyota Camry, hit the left side of the patrol car, officials said.

The trooper, who has not been named, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. Adames was not injured, troopers said. Officials said the trooper has been with the agency for four years.

After the crash, Adames provided a breath sample of 0.148. Florida law presumes impairment at 0.08.

In dashcam video released by the Florida Highway Patrol, the trooper can be seen veering into the path of Adames’ car before the crash. Adames then backs up and drives forward again. The trooper yells at Adames to turn his car off.

In a similar incident nearly a year ago, a drunken driver barreled head-on into a trooper’s vehicle while driving toward the Skyway 10K race. The trooper, Toni Schuck, recalled in a news conference that she was the last defense between the drunken driver and 8,000 runners.

“I’m so emotional to think that one of our state troopers would sacrifice their life for all of us,” Sherry Clark, a runner in the 10K, told the Tampa Bay Times after the incident.