Sarasota police release dashcam footage showing crash between officer, 8-year-old on dirt bike
By: -----
The Sarasota Police Department released body camera footage showing the moment an officer crashed into an 8-year-old riding a dirt bike, efforts to provide medical assistance to the child, and the reaction of people in the community as events unfolded.
The boy remains hospitalized with serious injuries following the Monday crash near the intersection of 23rd Street and Maple Avenue. He was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, where he underwent surgery.
The officer involved wasn’t injured and is on restricted administrative duty, police officials said.
Dash cam footage shows the officer leaving the scene of a different call for service when the collision happened at 6:32 p.m. The car collided with the child, prompting the officer to come to a screeching halt. He immediately exited the vehicle, calling for assistance. Body camera footage shows several concerned and upset community members running up to the child to check on him.
“It’s okay. It’s okay,” the officer repeated breathlessly after running to assist the injured child.
Cries of distraught community members sounded after seeing the child get hit by the car. The child’s uncle ran up to the officers and screamed, “That’s my nephew. That’s my nephew.”
Another person is heard yelling at the officer, “You drive too (expletive) fast.”
“The child is still hospitalized at this time, and we cannot imagine how difficult this is for his family,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche. “Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are partnering with the Florida Highway Patrol to conduct a thorough investigation.”