LECANTO, Fla. — A Citrus County deputy is fighting for his life after a vehicle struck him Tuesday night.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Andy Lahera, 50, was directing traffic at the intersection of Saunders Way and South Lecanto Highway following Lecanto High School's graduation ceremonies.
At approximately 9:05 p.m., a driver, 19, traveling south on South Lecanto Highway, hit Deputy Lahera after failing to see him on the road. Officials said Lahera was wearing a reflective vest.
Authorities said on-scene deputies and other first responders who quickly arrived at the crash site performed live-saving measures. A medical helicopter flew Deputy Lahera to a trauma center, where he's currently listed in critical condition.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers are investigating the cause of the crash and whether the driver who hit Deputy Lahera will face charges.
The sheriff's office released the following statement.
"Sheriff Mike Prendergast and the men and women of CCSO greatly appreciate your support during this challenging and difficult time.
We are grateful for the outpour of heartfelt thoughts and prayers for Deputy Lahera and his family. Our agency is truly blessed to have such great community members and partners reach out to offer their assistance. More remarkably, we are indebted to our community for putting the well-being of Deputy Lahera and his family at the forefront of their thoughts.
We will continue to provide updates on Deputy Lahera as they become available. Thank you again for your positive support and well wishes. We are praying Deputy Lahera makes a full recovery."
The school district said there were 4,000 people at the graduation on Tuesday night, including 370 graduates. The district also released the following statement.
"Last night, one of our school resource officers was involved in a traffic accident after he was struck by a vehicle after the Lecanto High School graduation. We send our continued prayers to the Lahera family, his law enforcement family, and our entire community. We have school counselors on campus at several of our schools today throughout the county to support our faculty and students to help them cope with this terrible accident."
