An Ocala police officer is being discharged from the Intensive Care Unit today, less than two days after a driver fled through a crash scene, fatally struck a pedestrian, and intentionally crashed into a patrol car, seriously injuring the officer.
Shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, Ocala Police Department officers responded to the scene of a crash at the intersection of S Pine Avenue and SW 17th Street.
As officers were working the crash scene, an oncoming driver – later identified as 44-year-old Kristopher Kent Winningham – was traveling eastbound on SW 17th Street. OPD stated that Winningham sped through the intersection, and he proceeded to strike a pedestrian and a parked patrol vehicle.
The pedestrian – later identified as 26-year-old James Thompson, Jr. – was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The vehicle fled the scene, which prompted a pursuit along SE Maricamp Road. As the vehicles approached the 3000 block of the road, near First Baptist of Ocala, Sergeant Ron Malone parked his patrol car in the grass median, and he deployed stop sticks.
According to OPD, Winningham appeared to intentionally collide head-on with Sergeant Malone’s patrol car while he was sitting inside.
Winningham was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Sergeant Malone was also rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. On Monday morning, OPD provided an update on his condition: “We’re relieved to inform our community that Sergeant Ron Malone, the officer who was injured in the head-on collision, will be discharged from the Intensive Care Unit today. However, he will remain in the hospital for further treatment, and he has a long recovery journey ahead of him.”
The police department added, “We wholeheartedly thank everyone for their thoughts and concerns for our officer and kindly ask that you continue to keep him and his family in your prayers during this challenging time.”