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By Joanna Putman
Police1
OCALA, Fla. — An Ocala officer is thankful to be alive after a head-on crash with a suspect left him seriously injured and his cruiser totaled. The suspect was allegedly fleeing officers at 90 mph when he intentionally slammed into Sgt. Ron Malone’s patrol car, WFTV reports.
“They were going so fast I never had a chance,” Malone said.
The suspect had allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian before hitting Malone, according to the report. The impact of the crash killed the suspect instantly and sent Malone to the hospital for 17 days.
Malone’s injuries included tears in his knee and shoulder, a hip injury and seven broken ribs. Malone told reporters he was shocked at the cruiser’s damage after seeing it when he got out of the hospital. He credits his training and his department for keeping him alive.
“I think the way my wheels were placed, the way I parked and the way I’m trained at the department, that was a critical part of me making it,” Malone said.
Malone has been with the department for 15 years. He says he doesn’t know why his life was spared, but he plans to continue working as a police officer.
“I ask myself that: ‘What is the reason?’ I’m not going to be able to answer that, but whatever it is, you can rest assured I’ll give it 100%. I’m here,” he said.
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