OPD officer injured in collision

May 20--A two-vehicle crash sent an Ocala Police Department officer to the hospital on Saturday.

According to authorities at the scene, Officer Pablo Morales was traveling eastbound on NW 10th Street with lights and sirens responding to a call when he approached the intersection of NW 27th Avenue and 10th Street.

Officers said Morales slowed down, then went through the intersection. Police officials said a newer model Kia Optima, which was traveling northbound on NW 27th Avenue, went through the intersection and T-boned the officer's cruiser.

A woman passenger in the Kia, who did not want to be identified, told the Star-Banner that they were stopped at the intersection and the light turned green. She said the driver drove off and the officer "just came out of nowhere." She said the driver slammed on her brakes and the Kia collided with the police car.

Officers said Morales was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center where he was expected to be treated and released.

Police officials said the driver of the Kia, Brooke Robinson, 27, of Ocala, was ticketed for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Morales' crash was the second law enforcement official injury since the beginning of the week. On Tuesday, Marion County Sheriff's Office Deputy Joseph Soucey was injured when his patrol vehicle was T-boned by a vehicle along County Road 484.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the deputy had lights and sirens on and was heading to a call while traveling southbound on Southwest 140th Avenue. An older model Suzuki SUV was traveling westbound on CR 484.

Troopers said the roadways were wet and as the deputy approached the stop sign at the intersection, he failed to stop or slow down in time and traveled into the path of the SUV. FHP officials said the SUV driver, Margaret Segarra, did not have time to stop and T-boned the deputy's vehicle.

Soucey was taken to ORMC for treatment.

Segarra, 45 and her husband, Jose Segarra-Moreno, 47, both of Ocala, were transported to West Marion Community Hospital with minor injuries. The SUV driver was ticketed for driving on a suspended license, not having a proper tag assigned to the vehicle and no insurance.

MCSO officials said the incident is expected to be reviewed by them and FHP officials.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, [email protected] or @almillerosb.

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