Throughout Maryland and the Washington, D.C., area, even law enforcement professionals can find themselves the victims of bad drivers. As a Baltimore personal injury and auto accident lawyer, every month my office is contacted by individuals who have been hurt as a result of the negligence of another driver. This recent automobile crash involving a county police squad car is just another example of the frequent lack of responsibility exhibited by certain motorists.
According to Baltimore County Police, the department was at the time of the latest news report looking for the operator of a vehicle that struck and damaged a police car as well as injuring the patrolman at the scene. The hit-and-run accident happened on February 17 in the early morning hours in the Essex area. Fortunately, the crash did not result in serious injury to the officer.
Based on reports, the officer was driving eastbound on Eastern Boulevard near Chesapeake Park Plaza when a white man driving a dark-colored Honda passenger car attempted to execute a U-turn and ended up hitting the patrol car’s rear passenger side. Because one of the officer’s tires blew out he was unable to pursue the suspect.
Following the traffic accident the officer was transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital where he was treated for apparently minor injuries when his head impacted the door frame of the patrol car, according to news reports.
Although investigators believe the accident itself was not intentional, at the time of the news article, police had not found the individual and were reportedly searching for a black 2006-2009 Honda Civic SI Coupe with a loud exhaust system. The nature of the accident likely caused considerable damage to the suspect’s vehicle. According to police the Honda probably sustained damage to its left-front bumper and headlight. The car may also have white paint on it from the officer’s vehicle.
Driver Sought In Police Car Hit-And-Run, WBALTV.com, February 24, 2010