This footage shows the moment a heroic police officer is badly hurt in a crash in Florida when she deliberately used her patrol car to block a speeding drink-driver heading towards a charity race involving thousands of runners.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said that the motorist was heading at speed towards the Skyway 10K Bridge Run, which is a charity event featuring thousands of people running to raise money for the families of members of the United States Armed Forces.

The incident took place on the Interstate 275

The footage, shot from the police vehicle dashcam, shows the officer’s vehicle manoeuvring into position as the car driven by the allegedly drunk motorist approaches at speed down a highway.

The suspect vehicle then ploughs into the police car at speed. The video clip then appears to indicate that the camera has gone flying inside the police car with nothing but white visible on screen until the end of the footage.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shared the footage and said: “Yesterday, Florida Highway Patrol Master Trooper Toni Schuck put herself directly in harm’s way and prevented a tragedy at the Skyway 10K Bridge Run.

“A drunk driver traveling at a high rate of speed was heading toward the Skyway 10K route and thousands of participating runners, and Trooper Schuck responded and drove her vehicle directly into the path of the oncoming drunk driver.

“Thank you for your bravery and self-sacrifice, Trooper Schuck. We wish you a speedy recovery.”

On their website, the organisers of the Skyway 10k Bridge Run say that all of the money that they raised goes to the Armed Forces Families Foundation.

The Armed Forces Families Foundation indicates on its website that it is is a non-profit that raises funds to care for and give support to military families in the United States.

The suspect has been named as 52-year-old Kristen Kay Watts and she allegedly breached barriers set up after the road was closed down to allow for the run to take place.

The heroic cop driving the police car has been identified as Master Trooper Toni Schuck, and she has reportedly suffered serious injuries in the incident.

Local media have reported that she is expected to recover from her injuries.

Watts was also seriously injured in the collision and has been charged with driving under the influence as well as causing serious bodily harm.