Breaking News Overnight: Head-on collision involving APD vehicle injures officer and 12-year-old female passenger

Troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol responded to a two-vehicle collision in Apopka this morning involving an Apopka Police Department vehicle and resulting in injuries to both drivers and a 12-year-old female passenger.

According to the FHP report, at approximately 1 am, a 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by a 22-year-old Apopka man was traveling eastbound in the inside lane on State Road 436 east of Otter Lane near the Mullinax Ford dealership.

At the same time, a marked Apopka Police Department patrol vehicle was traveling westbound on SR-436, approaching Otter Lane in the inside lane.

As they approached, the first vehicle's driver failed to maintain his lane, crossed the center line, and collided head-on with the APD patrol vehicle, driven by an APD officer and transporting a 12-year-old girl.

The driver, the APD officer, and the passenger were all transported to Advent Health Apopka. The driver of the first vehicle was later transported to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

The Apopka Police Department released the following statement about the crash:

"In the early hours of December 14th, 2023, at approximately 12:54 am, an Apopka Police Officer, en route to a treatment facility with an individual, was involved in a  collision on State Road 436, west of Semoran Commerce Place.

The marked Apopka Police Department vehicle was impacted head-on by another vehicle. The officer and passenger in the Apopka Police Department vehicle are currently in stable condition and remain hospitalized for further testing.

Regrettably, the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash is listed in critical condition. The Apopka Police Department vehicle involved in the crash was not equipped with a dash camera. The Florida Highway Patrol has assumed responsibility for investigating this incident."

Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley was grateful the officer and passenger were not critically injured.

"We are thankful that the injuries sustained by our officer and the passenger were not more severe. Despite the gravity of the situation, the potential outcomes could have been far more tragic. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to our officer, the passenger in the police vehicle, and the driver of the other involved vehicle during their recovery." 

This crash remains under investigation.

The FHP did not release the names of the drivers or the passenger involved in the collision.

This is breaking news and may be updated in future editions of The Apopka Voice if more details are known.