Staff Reports
A Tampa police officer narrowly avoided a head-on collision with a wrong-way driver who was allegedly three times over the legal alcohol limit. The terrifying incident, captured on dashcam video, shows the white car swerving at the last second to avoid crashing into the officer’s patrol car on March 27. “I sat there, held the steering wheel, and closed my eyes,” the officer later said. “She was flying at me.”
The driver admitted to drinking tequila before getting behind the wheel but downplayed her intake, claiming she’d only had “two or three” drinks. Bodycam footage revealed her slurred speech and failure to recognize she was driving the wrong way until after the near-miss. “I just didn’t see that you were – I was going the wrong way. I’m sorry,” she told the officer during the arrest. Tests showed her blood alcohol level was nearly triple Florida’s legal limit.
This close call highlights a recurring danger on Tampa’s roads. In 2021, Officer Jesse Madsen was killed when he deliberately steered his cruiser into the path of a wrong-way driver to protect others. That driver, later found to be drunk and speeding over 100 mph, robbed Madsen’s three children of their father. Despite these tragedies, lax enforcement and weak penalties continue to put lives at risk.
The March 27 incident could’ve ended like Madsen’s sacrifice. The officer involved described the driver’s actions as reckless and life-threatening. “She almost killed me,” he repeated to colleagues after the arrest. His quick reflexes and the driver’s last-second swerve prevented a fatal crash, but the damage was already done – another example of irresponsible choices endangering law-abiding citizens.
Florida’s DUI laws are clear, yet repeat offenders and lenient judges undermine public safety. This driver’s decision to ignore basic traffic rules while intoxicated shows a blatant disregard for others. Conservative leaders argue that stronger penalties and mandatory minimums for DUI offenses are needed to deter such behavior. Soft-on-crime policies only embolden dangerous individuals.
The officer’s brush with death also raises questions about infrastructure fixes. Wrong-way drivers plague Tampa’s highways, yet little has been done to improve signage or barriers. Taxpayer dollars fund countless projects, but common-sense measures to protect drivers and first responders remain overlooked. Priorities in spending must shift toward practical solutions over political pet projects.
Communities rely on police to face dangers most would flee. This officer’s ordeal reminds us that brave men and women put their lives on the line daily – often because others choose to break the law. Supporting law enforcement means holding criminals accountable, not defunding departments or coddling offenders. The driver’s arrest is a small victory, but the system must ensure she faces full consequences.
As Tampa recovers from yet another near-fatal DUI incident, families deserve roads free from drunk drivers. Stricter laws, better enforcement, and personal responsibility are the keys. Until then, officers like Jesse Madsen – and those who narrowly escape his fate – will keep paying the price for others’ poor choices.
