Citrus County Deputy Andy Lahera dies after more than two years of health struggles due to being hit by a car while on duty
UPDATE: PUBLIC MEMORIAL SERVICE
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office invites the public to attend a Memorial Service to honor the life and service of Deputy Lahera on Sunday, September 21, 2025. The service will begin at 2:30 p.m., and will be held at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, located at 4221 West Gulf to Lake Highway in Lecanto, Florida 34461.
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Citrus County, Florida - Andy Lahera, a Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputy who was injured while on duty in May 2023, passed away on September 11, 2025, due to complications related to his injuries, after more than two years of health struggles.
Deputy Lahera, who was fifty years-old at the time of his catastrophic injury, was a 14-year law enforcement veteran and a School Resource Deputy at Lecanto Middle School in Lecanto, Florida.
At 9:05 pm on Tuesday evening, May 23, 2023, while he and other deputies were directing traffic in Lecanto, Florida following the Lecanto High School graduation ceremony, Deputy Lahera was struck by a vehicle.
His injuries included numerous broken bones, abrasions, a traumatic brain injury, and internal injuries. Andy was flown by helicopter to the Emergency and Trauma Center at Tampa General Hospital in Tampa, Florida.
On July 7, 2023, Deputy Lahera was transferred from the trauma center to an area hospital for more aggressive physical and occupational therapy.
According to Tampa Bay 28, in an interview with Andy's wife, Michele Lahera, during August 2025, Andy was beginning move the right side of his body, and also beginning to talk some, when he was rushed to a hospital with severe pneumonia. He was intubated and placed in an intensive care unit, and eventually began to rally. However, on September 11, 2025, Andy passed on and left his struggle on the earthly realm.
"With heavy hearts, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office announces the passing of Deputy Andres "Andy" Lahera, a beloved member of our law enforcement family and a devoted public servant," said Citrus County Sheriff's Office Community Relations Specialist Haleigh Perez. "Deputy Lahera's life was defined by his steadfast dedication to the safety and well-being of Citrus County, and his absence leaves a profound void in the hearts of all who knew him.
Deputy Lahera dedicated fourteen years of his life to protecting and uplifting the Citrus County community. From his earliest days on patrol to his most recent role as a School Resource Officer from 2018 to 2023, Andy was a dependable presence in the lives of countless students, families, and colleagues. His commitment to public safety was matched only by his deep care for the people he served.
On May 23, 2023, while carrying out his duties, Deputy Lahera was critically injured in an incident that shook our agency and community to its core. For over two years, Andy fought valiantly with the same strength and resolve that defined his career. His passing marks the end of a chapter filled with bravery, sacrifice, and love.
Deputy Lahera is survived by his devoted wife, Michele, and their two sons, Vincent and Nicholas. To them, Andy was more than a hero; he was a loving husband, a guiding father, and a source of endless pride. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office stands beside the Lahera family in grief and gratitude, honoring Andy's memory and the immeasurable impact he made."
"Andy fought courageously, and this is a tremendous loss for his family, our agency, and this community," said Citrus County Sheriff David Vincent. "His heart for this community was unmatched, and his devotion to Michele, Vincent, and Nicholas was the foundation of everything he did. We've lost a true hero and fighter. We will honor Andy's legacy by standing beside his family, just as he always stood beside ours."
Part of Andy's legacy is a bill named the "Deputy Andy Lahera Act" that was passed in the Florida Senate in June 2025 and went in effect on July 1, 2025. Andy's bill expands health insurance benefits for law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officers who are injured in the line of duty or during official training exercises. Under the revised law, if a full-time officer suffers a catastrophic injury, their employer must pay the health insurance premium for the injured officer, their spouse, and their dependent children until a specific age or dependency conditions are met. If the officer subsequently dies, the employer must continue to pay the health insurance premium for the surviving spouse until remarriage, and for dependent children under the same conditions. The bill includes provisions that makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly make false statements to obtain these insurance benefits. Read more at this link:
https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/751/Analyses/h0751e.SAC.PDF.