The Tampa Police Department says one of its sergeants was directing traffic outside the stadium when he was hit by a car.
TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa police officer is in the hospital recovering from injuries after he was hit by a car while directing traffic outside Raymond James Stadium.
The Tampa Police Department says this happened just after midnight Sunday when one of its police sergeants was working traffic following a Zach Bryan concert at Raymond James.
Officials say the officer was hit by a 44-year-old man driving a Chrysler Crossfire while they were going eastbound on West Martin Luther King Drive, left the center traffic lane, entered the outside lane and failed to stop.
The sergeant was reportedly wearing a reflective traffic vest and lawfully entered the roadway when he was hit by the Chrysler.
The officer was taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. As of Sunday morning, TPD says he is stable and is in “good spirits.”
The department says the 44-year-old driver stayed on scene and cooperated with the investigation. He was cited for careless driving, causing serious bodily injury.
Speed or impairment are not believed to be factors in the crash.
“I’m incredibly grateful and relieved to know that one of our officers is ok after an incident that could’ve been deadly,” Chief Lee Bercaw said in a statement. “It serves as a stark reminder that even in some of the most routine tasks, our officers risk their lives to keep our community, and in this case concert-goers, safe.”