Tampa police officer dragged 75 feet during road accident

A Tampa police officer was in the hospital early Saturday morning after he was dragged 75 feet while holding onto the front of his police car after it was struck by the driver of a pickup truck, according to a Tampa Police Department news release.

The officer, who was not named in the release but was said to be in his late 30s, had left his car to check on a report of a person sleeping near railroad tracks on Busch Boulevard near 15th Street. As he returned to his vehicle, it was hit by the driver of a black Ford F150.

The officer was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life threatening. The driver of the pickup truck was uninjured and was assisting with the investigation.

“The dangers inherent to the job of public servants are all too real,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, who went to the hospital to check on the injured officer, in a statement. “I am thankful that this officer will recover from what could have been a fatal event, and return to protect and serve our community another day. The Tampa Police Department will provide all the support he and his family may need throughout his recuperation process.”