By Sarah Calams
Police1
TAMPA, Fla. — A trooper who used her patrol car to stop a driver from crashing into runners during a 10K race in 2022 will be honored with the opportunity to fly with the Thunderbirds during an airshow in Tampa this weekend.
Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Toni Schuck positioned her patrol car directly in front of an out-of-control vehicle, driven by Kristen Kay Watts, 52, who had been driving under the influence and was barreling toward racers on the bridge. Watts collided head-on with Schuck’s patrol car.
Schuck’s efforts saved 8,000 runners from potential harm, WFLA.com reported. “I was the last officer, I knew that, I knew it was me,” Schuck said after the incident. “If it wasn’t me to get her to stop, then who? I don’t know.”
Schuck suffered serious injuries in the crash, but has since fully recovered.
“In a split-second decision during a crisis event, Trooper Schuck summoned selfless courage and bravery for the sake of others and her community,” a source said. “As the United States Armed Forces, Trooper Toni Schuck is a warrior and deserved the unique opportunity to fly with the heroes of the sky.”
Schuck, whose husband and son both served in the Air Force, said she’s “nervous” but “excited” about the “opportunity to fly with the Thunderbirds.”