Behind her on the highway where she was driving was the annual Skyway 10K footrace with many participants.
Ahead of her, coming directly at her, was an allegedly drunk driver who had bypassed road closed signs, and she was heading directly for that race crowd at high speed.
So Master Trooper Toni Schuck took only a split second of time, and put her cruiser directly front of the driver, causing a crash and preventing anyone in the race from being hit.
A video shows the moment of impact:
And a local news channel reported on the heroics of Schuck, who sustained a concussion and head injury and is recovering.
Fox 13 News in Florida reported the suspected drunk driver, Kristen Kay Watts, 52, also was injured in the crash and now is facing charges.
“There was no time to think. You have to act. Without question, she was the last line of defense,” Trooper Ken Watson explained of the situation. oncoming vehicle. “This driver had blown past several check points, going around traffic cones, going around other officers and had engaged in high speeds.”
Watts was speeding down Interstate 275 directly toward the location where the race was under way, officials said.
Video shows Schuck apparently aiming her patrol vehicle right at Watts’ BMW.
Watson explained the extent of Schuck’s heroics: “There’s no telling what would have happened had that vehicle actually reached all of those runners. The bottom line is these troopers saved dozens upon dozens of lives and saved even more people from serious bodily harm injury.”
An estimated 8,000 runners were taking part in the footrace at the time.
“This trooper today faced something that’s maybe, hopefully, something once or twice in a career where she truly had to put herself in harm’s way to protect others. Had that car gotten past her SUV the only thing left in the way was going to be the volunteers, the runners, the workers,” explained racer Bill Wade.
The report said troopers don’t think Watts actually was targeting runners, but even so, she faces counts of DUI serious injury, DUI property damage and reckless driving.
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