05-20-2007, 08:52 PM
ST. PETERSBURG – Three Florida Highway Patrol troopers are in stable condition today after being run down while investigating fatal motorcycle crash on Interstate 275 Saturday night.
Troopers Rhonda Hendee, Gregory Taylor and Gene Lebrenz sustained nonlife-threatening injuries, according to Paul Fruik of the Florida Highway Patrol.
They were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. Hendee recently got out of surgery, and Taylor is expected to undergo surgery later today, Fruik said.
The troopers were struck while investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that happened shortly before 8 p.m., south of 54th Avenue North, according to FHP reports.
Ryan J. Sneddon, 24, of Seminole, crashed into a guardrail after losing control of his 2006 Honda motorcycle while changing lanes at high speed. He died on scene, according to the FHP.
FHP reports describe how the troopers were injured this way:
Shortly after 11 p.m., they were still working at the crash scene, which was marked with flares, traffic cones, an electronic arrow board and cruisers with emergency lights flashing.
Robert M. Taylor, headed south on the interstate, swerved to avoid slower traffic, lost control of his 2005 Honda Civic and veered into the crash site.
Taylor’s car rotated counterclockwise, pushing one patrol car into another, then continued rotating and hit the three troopers.
After also being treated at Bayfront Medical Center, Taylor, 19, of St. Petersburg, was arrested on three counts of DUI with serious bodily injury and two counts of DUI with property damage, jail records show.
Taylor remaines in the Pinellas County Jail, with bail set at $31,000, records show.
Troopers Rhonda Hendee, Gregory Taylor and Gene Lebrenz sustained nonlife-threatening injuries, according to Paul Fruik of the Florida Highway Patrol.
They were taken to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg. Hendee recently got out of surgery, and Taylor is expected to undergo surgery later today, Fruik said.
The troopers were struck while investigating a fatal motorcycle crash that happened shortly before 8 p.m., south of 54th Avenue North, according to FHP reports.
Ryan J. Sneddon, 24, of Seminole, crashed into a guardrail after losing control of his 2006 Honda motorcycle while changing lanes at high speed. He died on scene, according to the FHP.
FHP reports describe how the troopers were injured this way:
Shortly after 11 p.m., they were still working at the crash scene, which was marked with flares, traffic cones, an electronic arrow board and cruisers with emergency lights flashing.
Robert M. Taylor, headed south on the interstate, swerved to avoid slower traffic, lost control of his 2005 Honda Civic and veered into the crash site.
Taylor’s car rotated counterclockwise, pushing one patrol car into another, then continued rotating and hit the three troopers.
After also being treated at Bayfront Medical Center, Taylor, 19, of St. Petersburg, was arrested on three counts of DUI with serious bodily injury and two counts of DUI with property damage, jail records show.
Taylor remaines in the Pinellas County Jail, with bail set at $31,000, records show.