INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A Palm City man was jailed after deputies said he ran a red light and crashed into a pickup truck, leaving a woman trapped inside the mangled vehicle late Wednesday. Indian River County Fire Rescue crews had to cut open the truck to free the woman.
Spencer Spraker
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Spencer Ryan Spraker, 23, was charged with driving under the influence with serious bodily harm. Spraker was released Thursday from the Indian River County Jail on $25,000 bond.
The 21-year-old woman remained in critical condition Thursday at Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Joe Kovaleski said. Deputies said the woman’s injuries are “likely to result in serious personal disfigurement and protracted loss or impairment of the function of bodily members and organs,” reports show.
The collision involving a silver Ford F-250, driven by Spraker, and a white 2016 GMC Canyon, driven by the woman, happened about 11 p.m. Wednesday at 27th Avenue and 4th Street. Deputies said Spraker was headed south on 27th Avenue.
Spraker failed to stop at the traffic signal at the intersection and slammed into the GMC’s driver’s side door, reports show. The T-bone crash pushed the driver’s side door frame into the woman, causing serious bodily injuries, deputies said.
Firefighters used the jaws of life rescue tool to cut the GMC’s passenger’s side door to free the woman, Kovaleski said. The woman was taken by ambulance to Lawnwood trauma center in Fort Pierce.
The woman suffered a fracture to her left leg, an injury to her collar bone, possible broken ribs, possible broken lower back bones and a concussion, reports show.
Deputies said Spraker had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and an unsteady balance. Deputies arrested Spraker and booked him into the county jail.
Spraker has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Sept. 10, court records show.
