Florida Highway Patrol, Florida
End of Watch: Saturday, July 26, 1997
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Vehicular assault
Date of Incident: July 26, 1997
Weapon Used: Automobile; Alcohol involved
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 15 years
Trooper Robbie Smith was killed at approximately 3:00 am when his patrol car was struck from behind by a drunk driver near the Northwest 95th Street exit on Interstate 95.
He had just finished a traffic stop on I-95 and was completing paperwork when the crash occurred. Shortly after impact, his cruiser burst into flames, and he burned to death after being trapped inside.
The 21-year-old driver who caused the crash was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in Florida State Prison. On August 13, 2010, with less than a year left in prison, he was in a work release program and failed to return to prison at the end of his shift. He was found sitting on a park bench in his urine in a very intoxicated condition.
Trooper Smith had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for five years. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, and brother, who also served in law enforcement.
Between 1985 and 1989, Trooper Smith was a pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. In each of the previous four years, he had made over 100 DUI arrests. In 2000 Governor Jeb Bush signed the Trooper Robert Smith bill into law, allowing judges to keep drunk drivers in jail until their trial.