A Florida Highway Patrol trooper is recovering after being involved in a fiery crash Monday morning.
Trooper Richard Verbiest had stopped to help a motorist on the side of Interstate 75 shortly after 10 a.m. when a silver 2012 Mazda SUV swerved into the inside emergency lane shoulder to avoid a collision and hit the rear of the trooper's SUV, according to Fort Myers News-Press.
The impact forced the front of the cruiser into the rear of the Toyota, causing 19-year-old Nicholas Jorgensen, who was standing near his disabled vehicle, to suffer a minor leg injury when he was hit by either debris or the Mazda.
Verbiest suffered was transported to Lee Memorial Hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
Espinoza's car caught fire after the crash and he was taken to Lee Memorial where he was listed in critical condition.
The crash remains under investigation.
