Abilene officer injured after 18-wheeler strikes patrol vehicle on Interstate 20

WatchAbilene officer injured after 18-wheeler strikes patrol vehicle on Interstate 20by KTXS Staff

Abilene officer injured after 18-wheeler strikes patrol vehicle on Interstate 20(Getty Images)Comment on this story0CommentShare storySharetopics: AbileneInterstate 2018-wheelerPatrol vehicleTraffic crashPolice officerInjuriesEmergency respondersABILENE, Texas — An Abilene police officer was injured Saturday morning after an 18-wheeler struck his patrol vehicle while he was helping block traffic at a crash scene on Interstate 20, police said.

Officers were responding about 5:20 a.m. Oct. 10 to a crash near mile marker 293 involving an 18-wheeler and a smaller vehicle. The vehicles were partially blocking traffic, according to the Abilene Police Department.

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As officers worked to divert traffic, one officer positioned his cruiser to help slow approaching vehicles. An 18-wheeler then struck the driver’s side of the patrol vehicle while the officer was still inside, police said.

The patrol vehicle and semi sustained significant damage. The officer was extricated from the cruiser and taken to Hendrick Hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

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Police said the officer is doing well and is expected to recover.

The department urged motorists to slow down and remain alert when approaching crash scenes, citing the dangers faced by emergency responders working along roadways.