Florida State Trooper acting on instinct, blocks vehicle of intoxicated driver to protect thousands during 10K marathon.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2022) – The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) today announced Officer Toni Schuck of the Florida State Highway Patrol as the Officer of the Month for March 2022. Officer Schuck’s heroic act of blocking the speeding vehicle of an allegedly intoxicated driver during a 10K marathon exemplifies bravery, decisiveness, and selflessness at its finest.
During the March 6th Skyway 10K Race, the Florida Highway Patrol was alerted to a BMW driving at an “excessive rate of speed” on I-275. The BMW was driving directly towards the road closure on the south end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, Florida. With the driver speeding past several barricades and traffic cones, Officer Schuck acted quickly and maneuvered her car as a last line of defense to block the speeding motorist from pedestrians and racers, placing herself in the path of the oncoming driver. Seconds later, the driver crashed nearly head-on with Officer Schuck’s patrol car, fortunately Officer Schuck escaped with minor injuries.
“We would like to congratulate Officer Schuck for her extreme act of bravery and courage as her quick actions prevented what could have been a tragic situation.” said Marcia Ferranto, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. “Putting her duty to protect others before herself is the oath that every officer takes when protecting the community. We are grateful for her service and happy to know that she is fully recovering at home.”
Officer Toni Schuck is a 26-year veteran of the Florida Highway Patrol, and recently was awarded multiple recognitions including the “Back the Blue” award by Florida’s Attorney General, the “InVest USA Heroism” award, in addition to being presented the key to St. Pete, Florida. Officer Schuck is making a full recovery in hopes of returning to active duty soon.
The Officer of the Month Award Program is sponsored by the Police Unity Tour and recognizes federal, state, and local officers who distinguish themselves through exemplary law enforcement service and devotion to duty.
About the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial Fund maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., which honors the names of all of the 23,229 officers who have died in the line of duty throughout U.S. history. The National Law Enforcement Museum at the Motorola Solutions Foundation Building is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come.
Matt Lund
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