A 29-year-old Hillsborough County sheriff's deputy was arrested and charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a crash.

  • 29-year-old man arrested in I-75 wrong-way crash
  • Driver later identified as Justin Garrett, a Hillsborough County deputy
  • No injuries in the crash

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Justin Garrett was driving southbound in the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 at 3:30 a.m. Friday when his Ford Explorer struck a semi-truck.

The crash happened near the Hillsborough-Manatee county line. There were no injuries in the crash.

Troopers said Garrett drove off in his heavily damaged SUV but abandoned the vehicle on the inside shoulder of I-75 at Mile Marker 232. A short time after discovering the damaged vehicle, troopers found Garrett on the west side of the roadway attempting to hide, authorities said.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office later confirmed Garrett is a District IV deputy, employed with HCSO since October 2011.

He has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation.