Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Hurt, officer tries to help
By JACOB H. FRIES
Published April 5, 2007
CLEARWATER - After an SUV slammed into his cruiser early Wednesday, Officer Scott Dawson didn't quite know where he was or what had happened, police said. But despite being stunned and hurt, Dawson crawled across the road, looking to help the other driver who had been ejected, they said. From the pavement, the 43-year-old officer radioed a dispatcher who sent numerous rescuers to the scene. "The impact was tremendous," police spokesman Wayne Shelor said. The SUV put a dent about 2 feet deep into the cruiser's passenger compartment. The driver of the sport utility vehicle, 44-year-old David Brent Lloyd of Clearwater, was flown to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg, where he was in critical condition Wednesday afternoon. Dawson, taken to the same hospital by ambulance, was upgraded by afternoon to fair condition. Dawson's police dog, a German shepherd named Koa, also suffered injuries in the crash but was expected to survive. The wreck occurred at 2:13 a.m. Wednesday. Police said this is how it happened: Lloyd, driving an Isuzu Rodeo, was three blocks from home, headed east on Rainbow Drive, just north of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. He had turned 44 the previous day. He drove through the stop sign at Hercules Avenue and broadsided Dawson's cruiser, which had been going south on Hercules. Both vehicles were destroyed. Police were still investigating the crash Wednesday afternoon and had not determined the speed of the vehicles. No charges had been filed. Dawson, a 16-year Clearwater police veteran, made headlines in 2000 in connection with another dramatic crash. That time, a concrete truck smashed into a garbage truck, plowed through a guardrail and caught fire off State Road 580. Dawson, who had heard the collision from the Countryside police substation, ran to his cruiser, grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to put out the flames that had trapped the driver. He sprayed until the extinguisher was empty. The truck's driver, Dawson later learned, had died on impact. Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report.
[Last modified April 4, 2007, 22:02:48]
Share your thoughts on this story
Comments on this article
|
by John
|
05/02/07 03:17 PM
|
|
Police help this country soo much so the least we can do is show them respect and follow the laws. This way, tehworld will be a better place.
|
|
by Paul
|
04/06/07 04:13 PM
|
|
He ran through a stop sign and caused injury to the other driver who happened to be a police officer but no charges were filed-something is missing from this story ???
|
|
by Carol
|
04/05/07 05:56 PM
|
|
It is very rare indeed to see the St Pete Times speak in a positive manner about police officers, so thank you for finding out the "rest of the story" and actually printing it, even though it meant writing good things about police officers.
|
|
by ms
|
04/05/07 02:41 PM
|
|
Get well soon officer we need you on the streets, great job. To the driver of the SUV buckle up next time and you wont get ejected and hurt bad.
|
|
by Marcia
|
04/05/07 10:34 AM
|
|
Scott lives on my street and I am so glad to hear that he and Koa are going to be ok. Scott is a dedicated officer, a great father and neighbor.
|
|
by Allison
|
04/05/07 09:17 AM
|
|
Twice now in the face of extreme danger this cop has proven himself to be a hero, & a real man who doesn't run away in fear but stays to help others despite injury or death to himself. I'm glad we have men like this on the streets protecting us.
|
|
by Wendy T. Farris
|
04/05/07 08:48 AM
|
|
Those darned cops, always poking their noses into other people's business. Imagine him trying to help someone else while HE was hurt!
|
|
by Diane
|
04/05/07 08:05 AM
|
|
This cop is a hero and I am glad he and his pooch will be OK. They guy's lucky he wasn't unconscious, or he might not have made it. This is why you should always respect the police. What an awesome job!!!!! Wishes for a fast recovery!
|
|
by Rich
|
04/05/07 06:48 AM
|
|
Next time you want to bash the cops, remember the warriors like this who are keeping the streets safe while you sleep comfortably in your bed. I wish him a speedy recovery.
|
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
