FHP Trooper Leaves Hospital After St. Patrick's Day Crash

MIAMI, FL — A Florida Highway Patrol officer who was critically injured on St. Patrick's Day after being struck by a driver outside his patrol car on the Dolphin Expressway was released from Jackson Memorial Hospital on Friday. Trooper Carlos Rosario-Flores was forced to undergo multiple surgeries on his legs while his injury rallied fellow officers and the Miami community to his side. Charges against the driver are still pending.

"Because of God’s grace I’m alive," Rosario-Flores declared from a wheelchair as he left the hospital with his wife by his side. "God saved me that day." (Sign up for our free Daily Newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Miami Patch.)

Andre Olivares was charged with reckless driving and related offenses in connection with the accident. Police said he was texting when he lost control of his black Chevrolet HHR.

Like Miami Patch on Facebook

The 26-year-old Olivares was charged with reckless driving, reckless driving that causes serious bodily injury and causing property damage stemming from the early morning accident.

Olivares of the 6500 block of Kendale Lakes Drive in Miami, surrendered to police at the FHP station in Sweetwater.

Lt. Yosdany Veloz of the Florida Highway Patrol told Patch that the injured officer ultimately would like to return to FHP.

"The road to recovery is long, but his goal is to return to FHP as a trooper," said Veloz.

After spending weeks in Jackson's intensive care unit, Rosario-Flores was moved to a private room before Easter. The trooper made his first public appearance on April 19 with local attorney Laurence Leavy, who is the superfan behind the Marlins Man persona. Leavy announced a $12,000 donation to help the trooper's GoFundMe page reach its $75,000 goal.

Rosario-Flores was standing outside of his patrol car in the westbound lanes of Florida State Road 836 near NW 107 Avenue at the time of the accident. The trooper was operating a laser/radar gun along with two other FHP troopers assigned to a speed enforcement detail at the time.

"While motioning to a speeding motorist, a second vehicle lost control and struck several of the patrol cars prior to striking Trooper Rosario-Flores," according to the GoFundMe page set up to help the trooper's family. "Trooper Rosario-Flores received serious injuries from the impact and was flown to Jackson Ryder Trauma Center for treatment."

Despite his ordeal, the trooper wasn't bitter as he left Jackson.

"I thank God every day that I am alive," he told reporters.

Photo of Trooper Rosario-Flores courtesy of Florida Highway Patrol