Officials with the Florida Highway Patrol say one of their troopers was hit by another driver on Interstate 4 in Seminole County Monday and that the incident was likely intentional.

42 year-old Trooper Joseph Perri was sitting in his marked FHP patrol car on I-4 eastbound near mile marker 103 when a 2005 Hyundai vehicle left the road and struck directly into the left side of the patrol car, FHP Sgt. Kim Montes said.

After the impact, the Hyundai stopped on the shoulder of the highway and the driver, Ryan John Hithersay, 38, of Daytona Beach, got out of his car and walked back toward the trooper’s car.

Trooper Perri said that Hithersay told him he had driven into his patrol car on purpose. Hithersay was arrested on one count of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Hithersby was booked into the Seminole County Jail as of Monday afternoon.
Perri was taken to a hospital as a precaution.