A Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) officer was injured early Tuesday morning when an impaired driver struck his vehicle while the officer was working a traffic/construction detail in St. Petersburg.
The crash occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m. on November 26, 2024, in the southbound lanes of Interstate 275 near the exit ramp to 22nd Avenue South.
According to investigators, the driver, 33-year-old Alexander Peay of St. Petersburg, ignored a “Road Closed” sign and drove around traffic cones before colliding head-on with the officer’s vehicle. The officer, whose name has not been released, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Troopers, Peay displayed several signs of impairment, including a strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, and watery eyes.
Peay was charged with a DUI involving serious bodily injury.
The incident remains under investigation, and Paey was released from the Pinellas County Jail on his own recognizance later that day.