Florida police were baffled by an unexpected mishap after a state trooper executed a PIT maneuver on a vehicle, only to discover that the driver was a fellow police officer in the midst of a pursuit.
The incident took place on the night of November 29 when Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) Trooper Walner Wroy was dispatched to multiple reports of a reckless driver speeding through Miami Gardens traffic.
Wroy located the suspect vehicle, a Kia Stinger, on the freeway and initiated a traffic stop. However, the vehicle failed to comply, evading Wroy through red lights after taking an exit.
Dashcam footage revealed the tense moments as Wroy, determined to stop the fleeing vehicle, executed a high-risk precision immobilization technique (known as the PIT maneuver), causing the car to spin out and stop.
To his surprise, the driver turned out to be Opa-locka Police Captain Cory Krotenberg, who promptly activated flashing blue and red lights to identify himself as law enforcement.
In a bewildered exchange, Krotenberg said, “You f— kidding me?” to the stunned trooper, who responded, “Oh, I got the wrong car. I didn’t see the light in the back.”
It was later revealed that Krotenberg was part of a multi-agency anti-gang operation and was pursuing a suspect involved in a violent crime. He also had helicopter support to track the suspect in the blacked-out vehicle.
FHP Executive Director Dave Kerner stated that Wroy would not face disciplinary action due to the officers’ “well-founded and reasonable belief” that the fleeing car posed a threat. “Police work is a challenging profession, and State Troopers are trained and trusted to make difficult decisions under the most challenging of circumstances,” he said, acknowledging the quick decision-making officers must make under pressure.
The Opa-locka Police Department echoed this sentiment, asserting that Krotenberg did not violate any policies during the pursuit.
An internal investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol is underway to delve into the circumstances surrounding the incident, raising questions about the information available to the trooper and the actions of the Opa-locka officer, who was driving without lights.
