OCALA, FL (352today.com) – An Ocala police officer was greeted with cheers and applause as he was wheeled out of the hospital on Tuesday.

Ocala Police Department (OPD) sergeant Ron Malone was seriously injured when a fleeing driver crashed head-on into his patrol vehicle on August 26.

OPD posted a video to its Facebook page showing nearly three dozen people gathered outside the hospital – many of them uniformed officers.

The caption on the post states, “We’re relieved to see Sgt. Ron Malone leave the hospital today after his 17-day stay and take his next steps in the healing process. His journey to recovery continues, and his strength throughout this challenging time is truly remarkable. Sgt. Malone, we’re here for you, to support you every step of the way as you continue on the road to recovery.”

OPD says the collision with Malone’s vehicle appeared to be intentional and occurred at speeds exceeding 90 mph.

Ocala Police say Kristopher Kent Winningham, 44, hit and killed a pedestrian at an unrelated crash scene and then appeared to intentionally crash into a police cruiser seriously injuring Sgt. Ron Malone who was inside. Courtesy: OPD

The driver, 44-year-old Kristopher Kent Winningham, died from injuries in that wreck. But not before claiming the life of a pedestrian. Minutes earlier, police say Winningham plowed through an unrelated crash scene and took off.