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Family Members Shaken Up As Pembroke Pines Officer Involved In On-Duty Crash Remains In Critical Condition

PEMBROKE PINES (CBSMiami) – The daughters of Pembroke Pines Sgt. John Baker are shaken up, and rightly so.

On Monday they spoke about their dad and getting the call that was he was in a horrible wreck while on duty Saturday.

"It's one of those call you never want to get," said Tabitha Baker. "Whenever you miss a call, you kinda think you're going to get it, it's always in the back of your mind, you don't think it is, then it is."

Sgt. Baker is a 25 year veteran of the PPPD. He's also a department spokesman.

On Saturday, he was injured while on his police motorcycle at 146th Avenue and Sheridan Street.

Coworkers are stunned that one of their own was in such a terrible crash.

"Devastated, definitely it's shocking to be somebody that this close to us," said PPPD Det. Christopher Komb

Investigators tell CBS4 they believe Baker had the right of way when he was hit by a car. He was critically injured.

"He suffered significant trauma in the crash," said Capt. Al Xiques with PPPD. "His recovery is going to be long, but we're very hopeful.  We're learning a little bit more every day from the doctors."

Police are not releasing specifics about his injuries, just that they're severe. His family is hoping for the best.

"It's still very early. Because it is so early we're just waiting," said Tabitha. "We're going to concentrate on getting him healed and recovering, just focus on that."

Sgt. Baker is spoken of highly by his fellow officers.

"If there were an all-star team in law enforcement, Sgt. Baker would most definitely be on it; [he'd be] the captain," said Capt. Xiques. "He's one of the kindest most caring genuinely jolly people you'd like to meet."

Co-workers tell CBS4 that Sgt. Baker is not only very involved in the community, but in the department as well, including helping fellow officers who are in crisis.

"He's one of the founding members of our agency's crisis response team and his primary role on that team, and it has been for the past 18 years, is to help his peers and fellow officers when they're going thru difficult time when they're going thru tragedy in their respective organizations," said Capt. Xiques.

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