Tampa police officer seen driving off from crash, internal investigation underway
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Police Department said its conducting an internal investigation after an officer was seen on camera crashing into another car. The driver of the car said the officer never stopped to check on him after the crash and kept driving.
The driver of the car that was struck, Jake Perrin, said he was most upset that the officer wouldn't stop to make sure him and his friend who was also in the car were okay.
A camera from a neighboring home captured the crash. The police cruiser can be seen approaching the stop sign, but never stopping. He then turns right into the path of Perrin's Toyota Corolla, striking his car.
READ: Tampa police officer accused of using authority to address personal matter fired from agency: TPD
The moment of impact can be heard on the video.
But then, the officer flips his lights and sirens on as if he's headed to an emergency.
"It just felt like a push, a push forward, a pretty hard impact," Perrin said.
He said the officer never stopped.
MORE: Tampa’s top cop focuses on community-oriented policing during first 100 days on the job
"He hit me, and then he pulled around me abruptly, rushed down the road, put his lights on, drove very fast up towards Martin Luther King and turned down the road and never saw him come back," Perrin said.
The crash happened back on March 9 at the intersection of North Boulevard and West River Heights Avenue in Tampa.
According to TPD policy, "Any employee who is involved in a vehicle crash while on-duty or while operating a vehicle owned, rented, or leased by the City of Tampa, regardless of the amount of damage, shall immediately stop. An exception might be justified when in pursuit of a felon, under authorized conditions, or in other cases of extreme emergency."
Right after the crash, Perrin called TPD's non-emergency line. When officers responded to the scene, Perrin said they told him the officer was trying to get to an officer-involved shooting that night.
TPD has not confirmed to FOX 13 where this officer was headed when he flipped his lights on or if he was on duty at the time. However, they did tell us that there is an internal investigation underway related to the incident.
While the damage is relatively minor on the rear passenger side of Perrin's car, he said he's mostly just disappointed a police officer wouldn't stop to check to make sure him and his friend who was also in the car were okay.
"I would just like to, maybe see the officer held accountable somehow," Perrin said.
Perrin said it'll cost a couple thousand dollars to fix the rear quarter panel of his car. His insurance company is now working with TPD to fix his car.
WATCH FOX 13 NEWS:
SIGN UP: Click here to sign up for the FOX 13 daily newsletter