Atlanta semi-truck driver crashes massive truck into 3 police cars, injuring officers- ‘this was preventable’
Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel are uniquely vulnerable when responding to emergencies on the highway. Fast-moving vehicles can pose a threat to any first responder working on roads with dense traffic and highway speeds. Unfortunately, distracted or unaware motorists may crash into first responders sometimes, like in a recent case wherein a semi-truck injured three police officers.
A semi-truck driver in Georgia is facing charges for slamming into three police cars and sending the officers to the hospital
A trucker will face charges after crashing into three police vehicles on I-285 in the early morning. The authorities say the three law enforcement vehicles were on the left side of the highway with their emergency lights flashing. Unfortunately, the flashing lights weren’t enough to dissuade a semi-truck driver from driving into the stationary police cruisers.
East Point Police Department Chief Shawn Buchanan is glad that none of his officers perished in the incident. They’re “lucky to be alive,” Buchanan told Fox 5 Atlanta. “It looks like they were smashed at an impound.” However, the wreck did send all three officers to an Atlanta hospital.
According to the authorities, the crash happened just five minutes after the officers arrived at a motor vehicle accident (MVA) scene. The officers positioned their vehicles along the far left lane with their lights flashing. “It’s physically impossible,” Buchanan said of the likelihood that the semi-truck driver didn’t see the police vehicles. “All three units had lights on. I don’t know if he was sleepy or impaired. We don’t know at this time.”
In a sobering reminder, Buchanan told an interviewer that the accident was a tragically preventable one. He points out that the semi-truck was traveling in the left lane, which is off-limits to trucks of that size. “The big rig driver is at fault and will be charged in this crash.”
What’s more, Buchanan wants to remind drivers of the importance of the “Move Over Law.” The law states that motorists must move over to allow space for first responders and emergency vehicles wherever possible. If traffic is too dense for motorists to move over, they must slow down. Fortunately, the Atlanta-area hospital discharged all three police officers.
Check out a video with the Fox 5 Atlanta coverage of the crash below!
