Honoring Deputy Andres “Andy” Lahera

Lecanto, Citrus County, Florida — Funeral held September 21, 2025

(Photo Courtesy of WTSP)

By Staff Writer — The Brooksville Signal

While this story is outside Hernando County, the case of Deputy Andy Lahera resonates regionally, raising important issues about care, policy, and how society treats those who protect us.

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What happened

• Deputy Andres “Andy” Lahera was a deputy with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office for 14 years and served as a school resource officer from about 2018 to 2023.
• Two years ago (circa 2023), while Lahera was directing traffic at a high school graduation event, he was struck by a driver, sustaining traumatic brain and spinal injuries.
• After a long hospital stay, followed by rehabilitation, he never fully recovered. He passed away in September 2025 (reports say “Thursday before funeral announcements”) after ongoing care.
• His funeral was held Sunday, September 21, 2025 at Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto. A graveside service followed the memorial.

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Aftermath & policy impact

• After Lahera was injured, lawmakers in Florida passed the Andy Lahera Act, which requires that all law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty receive full premium coverage (insurance) — meaning their insurance premiums (health, life, etc.) are covered.
• His case exposed how officers who suffer severe injuries on the job can be left with enormous medical bills, unclear insurance status, and uncertain financial burdens. The Act is a response to such gaps.

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Reflections & what should be done more broadly

Deputy Lahera’s story brings up key social justice, labor rights, and public policy issues:

1. Full support for first responders: Law enforcement, school resource officers, EMTs, firefighters — those on the frontlines sometimes at great personal risk — deserve systems that ensure they don’t face financial ruin because they were doing their duty.
2. Comprehensive health care & mental health: Severe injuries, brain trauma, spinal injuries, and long rehab periods require more than just medical care; mental health support, long-term disability support, rehabilitation, and family support are essential.
3. Insurance and employer responsibility: The state passage of the Andy Lahera Act shows that legislation can respond to individual tragedies, but we need to ensure policies are comprehensive, uniformly applied, transparent, and do not leave people behind.
4. Preventive safety & structural accountability: The incident occurred while directing traffic at a public event. Safety measures, protocols, training, and oversight around crowd control, traffic safety, event planning should be consistently evaluated to minimize such risks.
5. Honoring service with dignity: Community recognition (funerals, memorials) is important, but so is ensuring that those who survive their injuries are cared for in life — not just honored in death.

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