A Citrus County, FL, sheriff’s deputy was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic Tuesday night and critically injured.
FL Deputy Critically Injured While Directing Traffic
Deputy Andy Lahera was flown to an area trauma center where he is currently stable, but in critical condtion. The sheriff said he was flung many feet and has many broken bones and internal injuries.
by Staff
May 24, 2023
Citrus County sheriff's deputy Andy Lahera was critically injured when he was struck by a vehicle Tuesday night.
Credit:
Citrus County SO
1 min to read
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Deputy Andy Lahera, and several other deputies, were directing traffic in Lecanto following the Lecanto High School graduation when he was hit by a 19-year-old female traveling south on South Lecanto Highway, Fox 13 reports.
Deputy Lahera was flown to an area trauma center where he is currently stable, but in critical condtion. The sheriff said he was flung many feet and has many broken bones and internal injuries.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating what led to the crash. Sheriff Prendergast says there was no sign of any braking and that the deputy's reflective vest and emergency lights should have been easily visible.
Deputies say the driver has been cooperative and that her vehicle is being examined, to determine whether speed was a factor, among other things.
More Patrol
The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 17, 2026
Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 2, 2026
Safariland Solis Rethinks Concealable Duty
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
Avon Protection Launches EXOSKIN-S2 High-Performance CBRN Protective Suit
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm Acquires Aloft to Unlock a New Era of Drones for Public Safety
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →
Versaterm Launches Innovation Summit for Public Safety Drone Operations
The two-day DroneSense Innovation Summit by Versaterm will bring together public safety and industry experts to define best practices for scaling drone operations.
Read More →
What Makes a Good LE Boot?
Learn what makes a boot good for police officers as POLICE visits with Kyle Ferdyn, of Garmont Tactical, who explains the features of boots and why each is needed in an LE boot.
Read More →