A 67-year-old Villager was at the wheel of a Cadillac involved in a crash that claimed the life of a Florida Highway Patrol trooper Saturday evening on Interstate 75.
Sgt. William Trampas Bishop was working a traffic crash at 6:36 p.m. in the inside emergency lane at Mile Marker 403 of I-75 in Alachua County. He was outside his patrol car when a second crash occurred between the 2007 Cadillac driven by 67-year-old John Charles Sams of the Village of Silver Lake and a 2016 Ford Fusion driven by Michael T. Korta, 46, of Tampa, according to an accident report from FHP. Bishop was struck and killed in a collision between those two vehicles.
The 30-year veteran trooper was transported to Shands Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 52 and resided in Lake City. Sams suffered minor injuries and was also treated at Shands Hospital. Korta escaped injury.
“This is a tragedy that highlights the risks that FHP troopers encounter every day as they serve our state,” FHP said in a statement.
“We are heartbroken to learn of the death of 30-year veteran FHP Trooper Sergeant William Trampas Bishop while on duty in Alachua County. Ann and I are praying for Sergeant Bishop’s family and loved ones during this very difficult time,” said Gov. Rick Scott.
