Baltimore police officer injured in car accident files lawsuit

A Baltimore police officer was assisting a stranded motorist on the side of the road last June when the driver of another vehicle lost control of his vehicle and crashed into her patrol car, which in turn struck her sending her over an embankment. The police officer suffered serious injuries in the car accident and has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the driver of the vehicle, as well as the owner of that vehicle.

The 23-year-old driver of the vehicle that crashed into the patrol car was charged with a variety of traffic violations in the wreck, including failure to control speed to avoid a collision, failure to reduce speed in dangerous weather and driving with a suspended license. The suit names the owner of the vehicle for providing the vehicle to the driver allegedly knowing he had prior traffic violations as well as a suspended driver’s license.

According to court documents filed in Baltimore Circuit Court, the plaintiff is seeking $15 million in damages, including past and future medical expenses and rehabilitation costs for the injuries she suffered in the car crash. The officer was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center after the accident. She was listed in critical condition with broken bones to her face, leg and pelvis. After several surgeries she was transferred to a rehabilitation unit within the hospital.

She is also suing for past and future lost wages. The chief spokesperson for the Northern District department where she is employed said the injured officer has not returned to duty since the accident.

The accident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Interstate 83 near the northbound shoulder when the officer was walking back to her patrol car after assisting a stranded motorist whose vehicle had just been hooked up to a tow truck. A driver, who was attempting to change lanes to pass a slower moving vehicle, lost control of his vehicle causing it to slide across lanes on the I-83 and collide with the officer’s patrol car, which had its red lights flashing.

The patrol car then hit her throwing her over the side of the I-83 concrete barrier where she fell 20 feet.

Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Officer thrown from I-83 sues driver, vehicle owner,” Justin Fenton, May 21, 2012