A Polk County sheriff’s deputy was hit by a car near Combee and Old Combee roads in North Lakeland late Sunday.
The Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Katie Reese, 24, remained in the hospital Monday morning for 24-hour observation but appeared to have no serious injuries.
Reese was conducting an investigation with other deputies at about 9:20 p.m. Sunday when she was struck from behind by an oncoming car. The deputies were parked on the northbound shoulder with their lights on and were walking on the southbound shoulder, outside of the white fog line, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The driver of the car told detectives that he didn’t notice the deputies on foot because he was looking at the patrol cars on the other side of the road and even moved his car toward the shoulder of the road, farther from the parked cars. In doing so, his vehicle hit Reese.
