8 Minnesota State Troopers Hit in 3 Days

8 Minnesota State Troopers Hit in 3 Days

Leslie Rolander
KSTP.com
Feb 23, 2011

The Minnesota State Patrol is urging drivers to use caution, after eight troopers have been struck by vehicles on state roads in the past three days.

The Minnesota State Patrol reports a state trooper was injured Tuesday night after arresting a driver suspected of drunk driving.

Lt. Eric Roeske reported the accident via Twitter around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

According to the State Patrol, the trooper was hit and injured on 694 and Silver Lake Road in New Brighton.

Lt. Roeske tells 5 Eyewitness News the trooper pulled up to a stalled car with his emergency flights flashing and found two women inside. One of the women, the driver, was placed inside the trooper's squad car in the backseat.

As the trooper was getting inside of his squad car, another vehicle came from behind and hit the car.

Lt. Roeske says the trooper is still in the hospital after suffering facial injuries. The trooper's injuries are not life threatening.

The woman in the backseat of the squad car was taken to the hospital but is okay.

Another state trooper's car was hit Monday by a semi-truck while it was pulled over to provide traffic control.

According to the State Patrol, 31 troopers have been hit since November, up from 13 troopers struck by vehicles during the same period last year.

The State Patrol is holding a news conference Wednesday to address safety issues and highlight the state's "Move Over" law - which requires drivers to move to a far lane if they see a squad car on the side of the road.

This week also marks the 33rd anniversary of the death of Trooper Roger Williams, who was killed by an out-of-control vehicle on Interstate 94 near Alexandria. He was a 26-year State Patrol veteran.

For our European friends, a state trooper is the state police for any given state. They are the highest police authority within a state and usually are called "highway patrol." There are city police, county police (the sheriff) and then state troopers.

Now... video below. One from a dash cam and another from a highway camera. Two different incidences.

Somebody has a grudge

There are laws here that one must move into another lane away from the emergency vehicles. If one can't move over, they have to slow to 30 MPH.

The problem here is, as usual, people driving with their heads up their asses when the weather is bad.

I don't know if it is law here, but (most) people do it as a matter of courtesy.

Problem is there are too many distractions while driving, particularly mobile phones. If it was so urgent that you make or take a call while driving, you'd have a headset.