2 State Troopers With Their 2 K-9 Dogs Injured During Pursuit On I-75

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A high-speed chase along Interstate 75 in Hillsborough County Wednesday ended when two state troopers crashed carrying K-9s crashed on Interstate 75, with one flipping over.

The crash shut down north and south lanes of the highway for three hours during rush hour.

At 3:17 p.m. troopers attempted to stop a 2009 BMW sports utility vehicle driven by Wildredo Cordova Diaz, 35, of Ruskin, which was following vehicles too closely on Interstate 4 near Thonotosassa Road.

According to the highway patrol, Diaz, a habitual traffic offender whose driver's license had been suspended, fled from troopers and exited I-4 at the Interstate 75 interchange, heading north on I-75.

Just south of Fletcher Avenue, troopers said Diaz abruptly slowed down and entered the grass median where he attempted to make a U-turn. State troopers pursuing the BMW also began to enter the grass median. However, a highway patrol Chevrolet Tahoe K-9 unit was unable to slow down in time and struck another state trooper driving a Ford Explorer, also carrying a K-9.

The Tahoe rotated along the paved shoulder of Interstate 75 while the Ford Explorer overturned in the median.

Both troopers were taken to the hospital with injuries that aren't life-threatening. The two K-9s also suffered minor injuries and were taken to a veterinarian for treatment.

The accident caused closures of north and south travel lanes of I-75 until 6:11 p.m.

Diaz' BMW broke down, and he was apprehended by the highway patrol. He was taken to the Hillsborough County jail where he was charged with fleeing and eluding, driving on a suspended license as a habitual offender and possession of a kilo of cocaine.