A man was arrested after he drove into a construction zone and crashed into a marked Florida Highway Patrol vehicle while under the influence, officials said.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver, 50-year-old Vaughn Charles Donaldson, was driving a Chevy Blazer north on I-75 around 2:48 a.m. when he entered the active work zone, which was marked with arrow boards, signage and orange cones.
FHP said Donaldson then crashed into the rear of a marked FHP Chevy Tahoe, which was stopped with its emergency lights activated and had an FHP corporal inside.
The corporal suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. Donaldson was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries and was later arrested by troopers for DUI, DUI property damage and DUI personal injury.
"If there had just been a trooper up there, maybe this whole thing could have been avoided."
A judge in Florida is sharing the story of his son's death in hopes of helping the Florida Highway Patrol trooper shortage.
