TUCSON, AZ (KGUN) — A driver hit a Tucson police officer as he worked another case early Thursday morning. As of Thursday afternoon, the Tucson Police Department reported the officer was in stable condition with the driver charged with DUI.
Police say the officer was working a pedestrian hit-and-run case when another driver drove into the crash scene and hit his cruiser, badly injuring the officer.
The driver who police say hit the officer is a 42-year-old man, and he was charged with DUI.
When the car hit the officer, police were already about 90 minutes into investigating the case of a man found injured on the road.
As of Thursday afternoon, police were still looking for the driver and car in the original pedestrian hit-and-run. Officers are looking for a light-colored car, possibly gray. It may be a 2010 to 2012 Ford Fusion with noticeable front-end damage and possible windshield damage.
Police say in the DUI-related wreck, the officer's car had emergency lights on but the driver hit the cruiser anyway.
The case illustrates a constant danger to anyone who makes a traffic stop or responds to an accident.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police says in 2019 accidents connected with traffic stops killed 44 first responders in the US:
- 18 law enforcement officers
- 9 Fire and Emergency Medical workers
- 14 tow truck operators
- 3 mobile mechanics
In Tucson, an overpass on I-10 is named after DPS officer Juan Cruz. He died near there 25 years ago. He was involved in a DUI traffic stop when another drunk driver hit his cruiser and killed him.
Arizona is one of many states with a move-over law that says if there’s room to move over, a driver must leave at least one empty lane near a stopped car.
