Pennsylvania state trooper injured in car accident

Interstate 81 was the site of a serious crash that sent one law enforcement officer and another man to a local hospital, according to authorities. Pennsylvania State Police have reported that one of their own was struck by his own patrol car in a two-car accident around 3 p.m. on March 27. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver police say initiated the crash. 

According to the accident report, the 47-year-old police sergeant had stopped on the side of the road to assist a tow truck driver whose wheel and rim had caught fire. The two were attempting to extinguish the fire when an SUV driver traveling on the interstate lost control of her vehicle.  She initiated a hard brake to avoid striking a slowed truck and ultimately struck the officer’s unmarked car. 

The police vehicle was shoved forward with such force that it struck and injured both the officer and the man he was attempting to assist. The officer was critically injured and was rushed to a local hospital. The other man escaped with minor injuries, but he was still treated at the hospital. It appears the woman and her passengers in the SUV escaped injury altogether. 

An investigation is still underway into the specifics of the car accident. Pennsylvania police are taking a closer look at why the woman lost control of her vehicle, as it is possible she may have been driving negligently if she could not safely brake in time for slowing traffic. If this turns out to be the case, the officer and the other man would appear to have viable personal injury claims should they choose to file them. 

This blog entry was posted on behalf of [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-1″], and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the firm or its attorneys. The information presented in this blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice.

Source: pennlive.com, “State police trooper remains in critical condition after being struck by car“, Barbara Miller, March 28, 2015