Clay County fire lieutenant run over at bar wants first responders who hit him to show remorse

MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — A Clay County firefighter, run over by fellow first responders, is back at home and opening up about his recovery.

Clay County fire Lt. John Taylor spent nearly two months in the hospital with broken bones and internal injuries.

“Two seconds later, a minute later, I wouldn’t be here. I mean, I was losing blood so fast,” Taylor said.

Almost 80 days ago, Taylor was on the ground, bleeding profusely. He said paramedics thought he was dead.

“No hope whatsoever,” he said.

Hours earlier, Taylor had been on stage at Dalton’s Sports Grill playing with his band. When he was walking out, the Florida Highway Patrol said, he got into a verbal argument with another firefighter.

Troopers say the firefighter punched Taylor, and when he tried to punch back, he fell and was run over by another first responder in a pickup truck.

According to troopers, someone yelled at the men to stop but another passenger, a firefighter, told the driver to go.

“We help people. We don’t hurt people,” said Taylor, who doesn’t remember much about that night.

He said all he remembers is waking up in a hospital bed.

“Doctors pretty much didn’t give much hope,” he said.

He was in the hospital for nearly two months, fighting for his life with internal injuries and a broken pelvis, ribs and legs.

“The trauma surgeon that did all this, he is astounded at what he sees. He told me the other day, 'I can’t believe you’re here,'” Taylor said.

The firefighter, musician, husband and father uses a wheelchair for now, but hopes, in about three weeks, to stand for the first time since being run over.

The State Attorney's Office is still investigating the three first responders accused of hitting Taylor.

An Orange County firefighter was let go from his department, and a Jacksonville firefighter remains on administrative duty as the investigation continues. Taylor said all he wants is for the first responders to show remorse.

“There’s got to be something deep in your heart that you made a mistake that night,” Taylor said.

Cox Media Group