It’s not unusual for police officers and firefighters to assist one another at the scenes of accidents. What is unusual is for one of those responders to be involved in an accident themselves.
According to reports, a police officer with the Roswell Police Department was offering assistance to the local fire department. The officer was sitting in his patrol car, using that car to block two eastbound lanes of a roadway. The police officer had his overhead blue lights activated. Just after 1 a.m., as the police officer was rendering that assistance, he was struck by a suspected drunk driver traveling eastbound.
The officer exited his vehicle and spoke with the driver. The officer indicated in his report that he detected signs of impairment in the driver. The man agreed to take a field sobriety test, which showed that he was impaired. The man was placed under arrest and charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain a lane, and violating the state’s move over law.
No one was seriously injured in the crash.
Drivers are urged to stay aware of their surroundings when traveling, especially at night. Georgia has a move over law, meaning that vehicles are to give the right of way to any emergency vehicle responding to or at the scene of an emergency situation. Drivers who fail to yield can be cited.
If you have been involved in an accident in Atlanta involving an impaired driver, you have legal rights. If the other driver is found to be at fault, our team of attorneys can help you secure compensation for your financial losses. Reach out to our team today for assistance.