In a highway incident yesterday, two officers from the California Highway Patrol sustained injuries after a head-on collision with a motorist driving in the wrong direction on a freeway in Davis, an incident that underscores the perils of highway patrolling.
The Woodland sector of the California Highway Patrol reported that the collision took place on Interstate 80, west of Mace Boulevard, during the early afternoon. The officers, partnered in the same patrol car, had just completed a traffic enforcement stop and were parked on the shoulder of the eastbound lanes when the crash occurred.
The motorist, for reasons still under investigation, entered the freeway against the flow of traffic and collided with the stationary CHP vehicle. The impact of the crash left both officers with injuries characterized as minor to moderate. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle also sustained minor injuries in the incident.
Authorities have yet to ascertain the cause of the wrong-way driving, including whether the driver was impaired at the time of the accident. Investigations are ongoing, and charges have not been disclosed as of the latest reports.
The aftermath of the collision prompted the shutdown of the number 3 lane of the interstate at the site of the incident, a stretch lying to the west of Mace Boulevard. Motorists were advised to anticipate delays as traffic was expected to be affected for an extended period.
Source: CBS Sacramento
