Another Sad Story-Officer Dies in Car Crash

[MI2QWK4U]

Just this morning, another hero pays the ultimate price...

By John Klekamp
Web produced by Christine Lasek
May 13, 2004

I-75 southbound is closed at Adams Rd. in Troy following a deadly accident that killed one police officer and critically injured two others.

A Bloomfield Township police officer was trying to make an emergency turn around using the median, in order to go north on I-75, when he was hit by a yellow Ford Focus.

The officer had pulled over a Mustang going southbound on I-75 for a traffic stop. He detained the 26-year-old driver of the Mustang, who was suspected of operating his vehicle while intoxicated. The Mustang also had a passenger, who may have seen some or all of the accident. That passenger is currently being questioned by police.

The driver of the Ford Focus, a 21-year-old man from Royal Oak, was totally uninvolved in the officer’s traffic stop.

Investigators at the scene told 7 Action News that there didn’t appear to be any skid marks left by the Focus, leading them to suspect that the Focus’ driver didn’t even attempt to break before broad siding the officer’s driver seat door.

The officer was a 36-year-old married father, with over a decade of experience on the police force. Both the prisoner that the officer had detained from the traffic stop, and the driver of the Focus, were taken Royal Oak Beaumont, and are listed in critical condition.

These pictures of the accident show the severity of the collision. The yellow Ford Focus t-boned the officer's Crown Vic, mangling it almost beyond recognition.

[ParkRanger]

Sorry to hear the bad news.

PR

[Fourth Horseman]

No attempt to brake, either. Stupid arseholes. I know it's a lot to ask, but being awake and having your eyes open when you drive is a really good idea. :shake:

[sailsmen]

We don't know what happened.

I feel for the survivors and pray for a speedy recovery.

[MAD-3R]

But it does speak well for the safty of the Focus and the Crown vic if the driver and detainee could survive that level of impact. And the odds are the guy in the back of the Vic didn't have his seatbelt on.

[MI2QWK4U]

Its too bad, I think the worst thing is I cant recall how many officers funerals I have been to in 14 years...I can speak from personal experience about loosing a co worker in the line of duty, it is brutal and my prayers go out to his family and department. I just cant get over how tore up that Crown Vic is...

[T-90K]

No attempt to brake, either. Stupid arseholes. I know it's a lot to ask, but being awake and having your eyes open when you drive is a really good idea. :shake:

It's the detail catching my attention. Focus driver was not intoxicated and I'm in a big doubd he wanted injure police officer... looks like Crown Vic did not left him a chance use the brakes at all. Anyway, I will not call them stupid - investigation should show what was there.

[Fourth Horseman]

It's the detail catching my attention. Focus driver was not intoxicated and I'm in a big doubd he wanted injure police officer... looks like Crown Vic did not left him a chance use the brakes at all. Anyway, I will not call them stupid - investigation should show what was there.

Nobody ever wants to injure anybody, yet they do. Nobody ever thought they'd kill anybody by dialing their cell phones, fixing their hair, putting on their makeup, you name it. But they still do. Frequently.

[T-90K]

Nobody ever wants to injure anybody, yet they do. Nobody ever thought they'd kill anybody by dialing their cell phones, fixing their hair, putting on their makeup, you name it. But they still do. Frequently.
I got your point.

[Bluerauder]

It's the detail catching my attention. "...snip..."

Very sad. These guys are on the line every day and night.

At first read, I thought that the police officer was making a U-turn using the median against on-coming traffic on northbound I-75. However, the Focus appears to have hit the officer's Crown Vic on the driver's side. This indicates to me that both cars were travelling in the same direction -- southbound and the patrol car crossed in front of the Focus. Otherwise, the damage should have been on the passenger side, right?? :confused:

The Crown Vic seems to have absorbed most of the impact. I would have expected the Focus to be much more heavily damaged.

Here's another recent story....
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Maryland Trooper Killed in Highway Accident
By Candace Smith
Associated Press Writer
Sunday, May 9, 2004; 12:02 PM
BOWIE, Md. -- A Maryland state trooper was hit and killed by a passing van while on the scene of a traffic accident early Sunday morning." :cry:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +
This one happened on Route 50 at about 2 AM between Washington, DC and Annapolis near Bowie, MD. The driver of the van was suspected of use of drugs or alcohol. Emergency lights were flashing on two cruisers and the trooper was outside his vehicle retrieving a tire/wheel from the roadway. Also a very sad incident.

[Silver_04]

It looks like the cruiser was trying to make a u-turn starting from the emergency lane, thus crossing in front of the Focus. At least that is the only way I can conceive that the Focus could have hit the CV drivers door like that. BTW, the Focus may have ABS explaining no skid marks. And/or if the Focus was traveling at highway speeds and the cruiser pulled out in front of the Focus leaving little to no time to react I'm not surprised there aren't any marks. Someone pulled out in front of me once and I barely had time to react at just 30mph. I managed to briefly lock up the brakes but my tires left no marks. Let's not rush to judgement here.

[MI2QWK4U]

Remember and Honor them... (http://odmp.org/)

[MarauderMike]

Reports are the Focus was in excess of 100 mph and potentially a DUI suspect. The foolish things you see people doing while driving these days never ceases to amaze me. Are the driver training courses really that bad? Plain and simple, drinking and driving leading to a death should be manslaughter, no ifs' ands' or buts'. NO CONTEST. OUr hearts go out to the innocent people and families involved.

[junehhan]

Well said, as this is just sad. :(

They are out just to do their job, and to see it end so abruptly and tragically is so wrong. I am definately interested in hearing the results of the investigation of this though as the details appear to be a bit fuzzy.........

[RCSignals]

I'm very sorry for his death.

We don't know the details of this accident though, there are many possibilities, including that neither the Police Officer nor the driver of the Focus saw each other.
This may explain the lack of apparent braking on the part of the focus, and the apparent driving across the road in front of an oncoming car (the focus) by the Police vehicle.

[Fourth Horseman]

[Post deleted]

[Patrick]

Remember and Honor them... (http://odmp.org/)

Great link!!!

But we have lost a brother! I was in Law enforcement. So I can share in thier pain. My prayers to his famliy!! Those that "" To serve and Protect"" get so little credit. They never will and they now it! But they still go out their 24/7 for us!!!

Wether the driver of the Focus was at fault. Not an issue. He is critical condition. Lets hope the best for him!!! And Let the investigation run its course!!! All we officailly know is that one officer is dead and one is critical condition.

To the Officers famaliy, No words can help with the pain you are going thru, just that what he was doing was his job.