HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – A Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputy was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash late Saturday night.
The accident occurred around 11:30 pm when a Ford pickup truck, driven by Uriel Garcia Nestor, 25, ran a stop sign at the intersection of SR-674 and 15th Street, colliding with Deputy Ivan Clark, 47, who was responding to a call regarding a reckless driver near East College Avenue in Ruskin.
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Deputy Clark was operating an unmarked 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and was traveling westbound on East College Avenue.
The impact caused the Tahoe to roll over multiple times, ejecting the 47-year-old deputy. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries.
“Our thoughts are with Deputy Clark, his family and friends during this difficult time,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “This incident is a stark reminder of the dangers impaired drivers pose to our community. It is deeply disappointing that someone would make the reckless decision to drive impaired, not only endangering their own life but putting everyone else on the road at risk.”
Nestor, who was later determined to be driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.121, was arrested and charged with DUI Injury, DUI Property Damage, and Driving with a Suspended License.
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He is currently being held at the Hillsborough County Jail.
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