A driver who struck two St. Petersburg police patrol cars early Monday, sending two officers to the hospital, is facing several charges.
Around 3:30 a.m., the officers were investigating a suspected drunk driving crash at Fourth Street and 24th Avenue N. in which a van had run into a Papa John's Pizza tractor-trailer.
The driver of the van, 36-year-old Koste Limbeski, was arrested for suspicion of DUI, police say.
Koste Limbeski, 36, was arrested in charged in the first crash involving a Papa John's delivery truck.
While the officers were sitting in their patrol cars at the scene, they were both struck by a Ford Crown Victoria.
Raymond Richardson, 41, is facing several charges in connection to the second crash that injured the officers.
The driver, 41-year-old Raymond Richardson, was arrested and charged with DUI w/injuries, careless driving and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sgt. Candace Marklin, 43 and Officer Douglas Carruthers, 33, were transported to a local hospital where they were treated and released. They are sore, but are going to be okay, according to a message posted on the department's Facebook page.
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said in his 30 years of law enforcement, this is sadly not the first time he’s heard about something like this.
"It’s not surprising," Holloway said. "There’s nothing routine about law enforcement. Here you’ve got two officers investigating an accident and this guy comes out of nowhere and plows into their vehicle."
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, there were almost 6,000 alcohol confirmed crashes in the last year and almost 500 fatalities.
Up nearly 66 percent since 2013, 45 of those deadly crashes happened in Pinellas County.
"Everyone says, 'Oh it will never happen to me,' or, 'Oh I can make it home.' Well this is a perfect example of how it can happen to anyone," said MADD program specialist Ginger Brengle. "Two police officers with their lights flashing sitting out in the public get hit by a car."