FHP Trooper Crashes Bike On Turnpike
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper is in the hospital after crashing his bike on the SW 120th Street exit ramp on Florida's Turnpike Northbound.
FHP confirmed somehow the trooper lost control and fell off his motorcycle.
Quick-reacting drivers around him immediately jumped in to help the trooper who has been with the motorcycle unit for at least 25 years.
They said he had a lot of injuries to his face and didn't know where he was. His leg was also severely broken. They were able to keep him calm until help arrived.
Click here to watch Natalia Zea's report.
"I saw a motorcycle collapse to the right side of me and I pulled over and I noticed the trooper down maybe 20 yards behind the motorcycle," said Robert Lorie who helped the fallen officer.
Lorie said the incident frightened him, but along with several other nearby drivers, he called 911 and jumped out of his vehicle to help the trooper.
"I panicked, I didn't know what happened at first," said Lorie.
Josh Echevarria was on his way to work when he saw the trooper on the ground.
"I'm guessing he had a concussion or something because he was like 'where am I?' He didn't know what was going on. I said, 'look you went down. Help is on it's way. Just try to keep calm. ' For the most part just try to keep him calm," said Echevarria. "One of the people that stopped gave him a sweater to put under his head. His leg was behind him. We didn't want to move him around too much."
The trooper was airlifted to Kendall Regional Hospital with a broken leg. He was listed as stable.
Those who put their daily routine on hold to help out a fallen officer are just thankful he's expected to be okay.
"Everybody had a cool head. Nobody was panicking. We were just trying to get help to him as soon as possible," said Echevarria.
FHP said It's not clear what caused the trooper to lose control.
