Emergency blood drive held for injured Miami-Dade police major

Maj. Ricky Carter has leg amputated after motorcycle crash on I-75

MIAMI – The Miami-Dade Police Department is holding emergency blood drives Monday to help an officer who was injured Sunday in a motorcycle crash.

Maj. Ricky Carter was off-duty and riding his personal motorcycle on Interstate 75 when he slid off the road and struck a guardrail.

Carter was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where his leg was amputated.

The blood drives are being held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at four locations throughout Miami-Dade:

  • Jackson Memorial Hospital (Bloodmobile by ER)
  • Northside District Station (799 N.W. 81st Street, Miami)
  • Miami-Dade Police Headquarters (9105 N.W. 25th Street, Doral)
  • Kendall District Station (7707 S.W. 117th Ave., Miami)
  • Outside the Miami-Dade Police Northside district station, there were people lined up to donate blood to help with Major Carter's recovery.

Outside the Miami-Dade police Northside District station, there were people lined up Monday to donate blood to help with Carter's recovery. 

Some were colleagues and officers from different departments, and others were members of the community Carter has been sworn to serve and protect. Many said it was their turn to serve him.

"It's tragic and I'm sorry this happened to him, and I'm willing to donate blood just to help him out," said Edwin Medina.

Veronica Parker, widow of the late Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker, was among the crowd to donate blood.

"It's very important that we take care of our officers in the community, not only our officers but the entire community. And that's why I came," Parker said.

The Miami Police Department is holding an emergency blood drive Tuesday for Carter and a Miami police officer who was critically injured in a car crash in Wynwood.

The blood drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Miami Police headquarters at 400 NW Second Ave.

Carter remains at the hospital in serious, but stable condition.

Police said he was heading to a fundraiser when he crashed.

"We don't know if our officer lost control, but we do know there were no other vehicles involved," Miami-Dade police spokeswoman Robin Pinkard said. 

Carter, who is a 21-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, is commander of the Department's Northside District.


About the Authors:

Sanela Sabovic joined Local 10 News in September 2012 as an assignment editor and associate producer. In August 2015, she became a full-time reporter and fill-in traffic reporter. Sanela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications with a concentration in radio, television and film from DePaul University.

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.