Authorities say a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was seriously injured in a crash involving a drunken driver Sunday.
Trooper Daniel Cruz was working the scene of an earlier crash around 1 a.m. on Okeechobee Road near the Palmetto Expressway when he was hit, officials said.
According to the arrest report, 26-year-old John Bencosme, of Miami, was driving south on Okeechobee Road when he slammed into one of the cars from the earlier crash.
The impact sent a Hyundai Elantra spinning into Cruz, throwing him several feet into the air, the report said.
After the crash, troopers said they conducted field sobriety tests. Bencosme's blood alcohol level was .201 -- more than double the legal limit.
Bencosme faces multiple charges, including driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury.
Cruz was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center, where he was listed in critical but stable condition. Troopers said Cruz seriously injured ligaments in his legs and he broke a small bone in his back.
Cruz is expected to be out of work for about six months.