FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was involved in a crash when his cruiser was struck by another driver who said it was his intention to hit the vehicle.
His patrol vehicle was damaged after a driver rammed into it on purpose, Wednesday morning, said officials.
Officials said the trooper was in his car, working an off-duty detail at a construction zone on Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale when a driver entered the closed lanes and rear-ended him.
“Through the barricades and the cones and the air boards and intentionally collided with the FHP marked patrol car,” said Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Indiana Miranda.
Police arrested 25-year-old Tate Turner who was behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit the trooper’s car.
According to the arrest report, he told the trooper that “he intentionally struck the patrol cruiser so he could be taken to jail.”
“Very, very strange,” said Miranda. “He hesitated a little bit when he was asked and he paused, and he went ahead and said, ‘I intentionally did this. I wanted to go to jail.'”
Not only did Turner tell troopers he wanted to go to jail but also that he felt as if he was already there.
“It’s a surprise, because you don’t expect for a violator or anybody to tell you. ‘I intentionally wanted to hurt you or collide with your car,'” said Miranda.
The trooper suffered minor injuries from the crash.
Turner is currently behind bars and faces three felony charges. He is also expected to appear before a judge on Thursday.
Turner was not believed to be under the influence of any kind of drug or alcohol, and he did not appear to have any mental illness.
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