June 5 UPDATE on critically injured CCSO Deputy Andy Lahera
Photo graphic of Dep. Lahera courtesy of CCSO.
Deputy Andy Lahera remains in critical, but stable, condition.
"Andy had a good day yesterday (Sunday, June 4, 2023)," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "The external ventricular device (drain) was removed early yesterday morning, and his vitals continue to look good. More importantly, he no longer has a high fever. The team of medical care professionals remain attentive to Andy's every need. The family greatly appreciates our community's steady outpouring of love for Andy."
Deputy Lahera is hospitalized at the Emergency and Trauma Center at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida. On March 30, Deputy Lahera had surgery to both of his legs, and the Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto, Florida held a 'Night of Prayers for Deputy Lahera,' that he lisened to, with his wife by his side, at the hospital.
The Florida Deputy Sheriff's Association has launched a GoFundMe account for the Lahera family and kicked it off with a generous $1,000 donation. If you would like to donate to the Lahera family, please do so at the following link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/florida-deputy-sheriffs-assn-fund-for-Lahera?fbclid=IwAR1gZWw3dDOjgzSppAcMsTf14UBI_7MVpcZsgiK5OIOnsAcb9Qj3Cxk6LdE.
"Thank you, to our community, for your unwavering support," said CCSO Community Relations Specialist Sydney Hudson.
If you would like to send a card (no money or flowers, please) to Deputy Lahera, mail it or drop it off to:
Deputy Andy Lahera
c/o Citrus County Sheriff's Office
1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
Inverness, FL 34450.
WHAT HAPPENED
At 9:05 p.m. on May 23, 2023, Deputy Andy Lahera, along with several other deputies, was directing traffic following a graduation ceremony at Lecanto High School, when he was struck by a motorist who was traveling south on County Road 491 (S. Lecanto Hwy.) near Saunders Way in Lecanto, Florida. The driver, a 19 year-old woman from Homosassa, Florida, failed to notice Deputy Lahera on the roadway. As a result of the crash, Deputy Lahera sustained numerous broken bones, abrasions, and internal injuries. He was flown by helicopter to the Tampa trauma center.
When the crash occurred, Deputy Lahera was wearing a reflective traffic vest, holding a flashlight, with traffic cones set out and the emergency lights activated on his marked patrol car that was parked nearby.