Published on Wednesday, February 1, 2006
in the Tampa Bay 10 News

Trooper's crash calls attention to road safety

Video Story

Tampa, Florida - Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day. It's part of the job, and it's a risk they accept. Yet, when one of their own is killed or injured in the line of duty, the pain is felt by everyone who wears a uniform. That's why the Florida Highway Patrol is speaking out about a serious crash that nearly killed a trooper.

Hundreds of vehicles whiz past a state trooper on I-275 in Tampa. Few bother to slow down, let alone move into the next lane. One wrong move and it's a recipe for disaster.

Trooper Larry Coggins, Florida Highway Patrol:
"There's a million things troopers have to look out for on a traffic stop. We're also looking over our shoulder for that 3-4,000 pound bullet, if I may, that's coming down the highway."

Despite all the precautions Trooper Darryl Haywood Junior was taking during a January 22nd traffic stop on Florida's turnpike in Broward County, it wasn't enough to keep the 20-year-old out of harm's way. A speeding pick-up truck rear-ended his patrol car.

Trooper Larry Coggins, Florida Highway Patrol:
“The crash, very serious in nature, trapped Trooper Haywood in his patrol car for 30 to 40 minutes while rescue crews broke the car apart to get him out."

The driver of that pick-up truck violated the state's “Move Over” law, which requires motorists to do just that -- move over, or at the very least, slow down -- when any emergency vehicle is stopped on the road. Since the move over law was established in 2002, more than 13,000 citations have been issued to motorists across the state, and no law enforcement officers have been lost as a result.

But that could've easily changed, if Trooper Haywood hadn't been so lucky. His condition is improving every day. He’s now listed in stable condition at a Miami hospital. And his story is striking a chord with every emergency responder, a reminder of the risk they all face every day.

The penalty for failing to move over or slow down for emergency responders is the same as a moving violation that carries a fine from $115 to $120, depending on the county. It also adds three points to your license.

This is the second time tragedy has struck the Haywood family in 18 months. Trooper Haywood's father, Darryl Haywood Senior, was also a Florida State Trooper. He was killed in the line of duty in October 2004. He was attempting to overtake a speeding motorcycle in Volusia County when his tire blew out and his patrol car struck a tree.