Impaired driver slams into MSP patrol car, which then hit trooper at the scene of 2-vehicle crash
By: A Michigan State Police trooper was released from the hospital Thursday morning, hours after he was struck by a suspected drunk driver while directing traffic around an earlier fiery crash on I-94 in Detroit.
Michigan State Police said the trooper, only identified as a sergeant, wasn't seriously hurt in the incident that occurred on the freeway at Livernois around 2:40 a.m.
According to MSP, the sergeant had initially responded to the area to help block and direct traffic around an earlier two-vehicle crash that caused a car to catch fire.
The fire department shut down the freeway to get control of the situation and the trooper was standing outside his squad car to reroute traffic onto Livernois, when a speeding driver slammed into the back of the vehicle, state police stated.
The force of the crash then caused the squad car to hit the trooper.
MPS said the sergeant was taken to the hospital as a precaution, but he does appear to be OK. He was released from the hospital a short while later. No other injuries were reported in either incident.
Troopers said the driver behind the wheel of the vehicle that hit the squad car was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving that taken to the hospital for a blood draw. She has been identified as a 32-year-old-female old female from Rochester Hills.
She is currently lodged at the Oakland County Jail
MSP Public Information Officer Mike Shaw said they are thankful the trooper wasn't seriously injured, but he expressed frustration over what he called "poor driving decisions" that continue to place citizens and law enforcement in danger when out on the roads.
"Please move over for emergency vehicles and don’t drive impaired," Shaw said.
In an effort to show how important Michigan's Move Over Law is, Shaw released footage from both the trooper's body cam and the dash cam from the patrol car that was struck.
"This video shows: Dash Cam Video of sergeant arriving at the scene. Body Cam of the sergeant getting out and his camera getting knocked off his chest from impact of the crash," Shaw explained.
"The last part is from the passenger seat rear, which captures the crash," he continued. "Yes, it happens this fast and if the sergeant wouldn’t have parked there the suspect would have drove right into first responders and the crash scene. Move Over! Don’t Drive Impaired! It’s that simple."
The freeway has since reopened to traffic. An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.