PEMBROKE PINES, FLA. (WSVN) - A Pembroke Pines Police motorcycle officer remains in the hospital two days after a violent crash left him trapped underneath a vehicle.
Pembroke Pines Police Sgt. John Baker, a 25-year veteran with the department, underwent surgery at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. As of Monday morning, he is listed in critical condition.
Police said the law enforcer was on patrol when his motorcycle crashed with another car near Sheridan Street and 146th Street, at around 7 a.m., Saturday.
“I saw a motorcycle down, like, you could see the motorcycle down, and you could see the guys trying to pull the guy from under the car,” said witness Julie Sanchez. “You knew it had to be bad, because someone was underneath a car, and you could see there was like about 100 feet that he’d been dragged, so it’s terrible.”
It remains unclear how the collision happened, but witnesses said Pembroke Pines Police officers rushed to the scene shortly after the wreck.
“All the police showed up, and they worked on him, and then they took him to the hospital,” said Sanchez.
A convoy of police officers escorted the ambulance to the hospital.
“All of Pembroke Pines [Police] came to him, and they escorted him. It was like a 15-car caravan to get him to the hospital,” said Sanchez.
Officials said Baker oversees the traffic unit at Pembroke Pines Police and acts as the department’s spokesperson.
Saturday’s crash comes weeks after Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputy Benjamin Nimtz was killed in a Deerfield Beach wreck, July 21.
Investigators said Nimtz was responding to a call when his cruiser crashed with a pickup truck at the intersection of Military Trail and Southwest 10th Street, near Century Village.
Now law enforcement officers across South Florida are hoping and praying for a miraculous recovery with Baker.
Sergeant John Baker, @PPinesPD, you’re in our thoughts. 🙏 Join us in keeping him and his family in our thoughts as we wish him a full recovery from an on-duty motorcycle crash on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/xpfmuAkWDU
— Broward Sheriff (@browardsheriff) August 12, 2019
#FLPD is sending our sincere wishes to @PPinesPD Sgt. John Baker after an on-duty motorcycle crash yesterday. Please join us in keeping his family and coworkers in our thoughts and hoping for a full recovery. #LEOFamily pic.twitter.com/yxVsqQuzrv
— Fort Lauderdale Police (@ftlauderdalepd) August 11, 2019
“It’s sad. Someone who’s supposed to protect and serve us got hurt,” said Sanchez.
The driver of the other car involved in the Pembroke Pines crash was not injured.
Because this was an officer-involved crash, BSO detectives are investigating.
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