Miami-Dade police major critically injured in I-75 crash

An off-duty Miami-Dade police major riding his motorcycle was critically injured Sunday in a crash on Interstate 75.

Northside District Maj. Ricky Carter, a 21-year veteran, was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Miami-Dade police said Carter, off-duty and on his personal Suzuki motorcycle on the southbound side, suddenly slid off the highway and smashed into a guardrail near Northwest 138th Street. No other vehicles were involved, police said.

“We are devastated at the news of the crash,” Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez told the Miami Herald on Sunday afternoon. “We are all praying for Ricky and his family at this time.

“He is a leader within the community,” Perez said. “We ask the community to pray for his recovery.”

“Major Carter is certainly one of our youngest and brightest stars of the department,” said Police Benevolent Association President John Rivera. “Whatever he and his family need, we’ll be there.”

Rivera said he knows Carter personally from community work around Liberty City.

“We’ve had occasion to work together refurbishing houses in blighted areas so the elderly and less fortunate can live in dignity,” he said in lauding Carter’s devotion to civic duty.

The 9 a.m. crash, cleanup and investigation caused major backups on southbound I-75 at Northwest 138th Street for several hours.