A traffic officer’s worst nightmare was just inches away from becoming a reality during an early morning traffic stop in St. Petersburg, Florida, earlier in January.
Suddenly, without warning, a white Kia sedan drove by his cruiser at close proximity.
Despite the officer’s flashing lights, the Kia struck his open driver’s side door as he stood next to the freeway, coming within inches of his body.
Allegedly, the female driver of the Kia, Mackenzie Paige Deaton, 24, did not stop after striking Officer Seay’s cruiser but continued westbound.
Besides sustaining an injured hand, the officer was not severely hurt during the collision, the department stated in a press release.
The white Kia sedan was found, and Ms. Deaton was taken into custody by police officers. She was charged with hit and run causing serious bodily injury, tampering with evidence, and citations including failure to follow the Move Over Law.
The department brought the near miss into focus by releasing visceral footage from Officer Seay’s body camera, showing several seconds of the crash. The impact is seen occurring unexpectedly and with enough force to fully hyperextend the officer’s door.
In footage taken from the cruiser’s dashcam, debris is seen scattering. Officer Seay takes refuge between the cruiser and the shoulder of the freeway and keys his radio while cradling his hand.
He is heard saying, “I had a really close call, I need to be checked out.”
The officer was transported to the nearby Bayfront Health Hospital where he was treated for his injuries, the department stated. No one else was hurt in the collision.
“[Officer Seay] will be having surgery next week to repair the injuries to his hand,” the department told The Epoch Times.
Photos released by the department show the cruiser in the aftermath, its door demolished by the hit.
The footage captured at the scene “illustrates the importance of moving over when there is an emergency vehicle or disabled car on the side of the road,” the deparment stated. “Luckily, this officer was not severely injured.”
