Car accidents and their aftermaths can be scary experiences for the people involved. Car accidents can happen to anyone, including those sworn to uphold the law. The chief of police of a small Colorado town corroborated Colorado State Patrol reports that his son, a police officer employed by the town, was responsible for an accident while driving his patrol vehicle.
The report states that the officer was at an intersection and did not yield the right-of-way to a pickup truck that was also at the intersection. The collision caused the air bag in the patrol car to deploy, which caused injury to the officer. He was taken to a hospital in a nearby town for treatment. The other driver was not hurt.
The police chief admitted his son was apparently not wearing his seat belt while he was driving, which is against department policy. Not only will the officer be cited for his offenses by the Colorado State Patrol once it concludes its investigation, he will also be facing department-mandated punishment for his actions. Further investigation into the officer’s past indicates he has numerous driving violations on his record.
The potential for injury from car accidents varies in each case. Some people escape major crashes with only scratches, while some do not survive incidents that could be classified as minor according to the damage to the vehicles. A Colorado resident who has suffered an injury from an accident that is the result of another’s negligence can file a lawsuit to pursue financial compensation to cover costs associated with the injury.
Source: koaa.com, “Rocky Ford police chief’s son at fault in crash in patrol cruiser“, Zach Thaxton, Sept. 27, 2015