CITRUS COUNTY -- A Citrus County deputy who died after a two year struggle following a devastating crash leaves behind a legacy for all Florida law enforcement.
Deputy Andy Lahera, then 50, was serving as a school resource deputy, directing traffic for the 2023 graduation ceremony at Lecanto High School, when he was struck by a car. The crash left him with brain and spinal cord injuries. He spetn the last two years of his life in hospitals and in rehab centers. But he leaves behind an important legacy for both his family and all law enforcement. A state law that bears his name guarantees medical coverage for any injuries suffered in the line of duty.
State law previously limited coverage for injured first responders to specific situations, including injuries suffered in a pursuit or at the hands of a criminal. Agencies have often picked up the tab, but at one point the Sheriff's Office chose not to do so. That would have left Deputy Lahera and his family with only workers' compensation.
State Representative Judson Sapp, who represents a district from Ocala to south of Jacksonville, sponsored a bill called the "Deputy Andy Lahera Act" that requires first responders receive coverage for all line-of-duty injuries. The bill passed the state Legislature and Governor DeSantis signed it into law in June.
Sapp says he was able to tell Deputy Lahera and his family that the bill passed. "I remember his wife was saying, 'if you like it give a little smile,' and (Lahera) gave a smile. "It's horrible when we have tragedy... but some good came out of that, because we fixed a bad law."
The sheriff's office held a procession for Lahera's body. Funeral plans have not been announced.
Photo: TTWN via Phil Azoon