FHP Honors Top DUI Enforcement Trooper
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The Florida Highway Patrol recently awarded Trooper Ronald J. Evans Jr. the Hurd-Smith award for 2008. The award recognizes the trooper who leads FHP in Driving Under the Influence arrests for the year. Evans, stationed in Land O’Lakes, made 187 DUI arrests last year. This was not the first time the Patrol recognized him for his extraordinary DUI enforcement efforts. In 2004, he garnered the Hurd-Smith award after making 300 DUI arrests.
“Trooper Evans worked hard to protect the citizens of Florida from drunk drivers,” said Colonel John Czernis, director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “We are proud to honor him with this well deserved award.” The Florida Highway Patrol named the Hurd-Smith award, which distinguishes the trooper who makes the most DUI arrests for the year, in honor of two troopers who were killed in the line of duty by drunk drivers. Trooper Kimberly Hurd served the people of Florida for six years. Her career with FHP began May 5, 1986. On July 16, 1992, Hurd was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Ft. Lauderdale when a passing van struck and killed her. The intoxicated driver fled the scene, but was later apprehended and convicted. At the time of her death, she was 26 years old. Trooper Robbie Smith served the people of Florida for four years. His career with FHP began Jan. 4, 1993. On July 26, 1997, Smith was in his patrol car in the emergency lane of I-95 in Miami after completing a traffic stop when a drunk driver travelling at an excessive speed struck his car from behind. At the time of his death, he was 34.
The Florida Highway Patrol recognized nine other troopers from across the state for their efforts to remove impaired drivers from the roadways by making more than 100 DUI arrests for 2008.
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