A Pearl police officer and a civilian driver were injured following a crash on Wednesday night.
Around 7:46 p.m., officers were conducting an accident investigation on I-20 East involving someone with potentially life-threatening injuries.
While authorities were assessing the scene, a marked police cruiser with lights activated was struck from behind. An officer happened to be in the squad car. Both individuals involved in the wreck were injured.
The unidentified officer was treated at a local hospital and later released. The unidentified driver of the vehicle that hit the police car was also transported to the hospital for medical evaluation.
Both vehicles sustained significant damage and were rendered inoperable. Traffic in the area was temporarily impacted as emergency responders worked at the scene. The road has since been cleared, and normal traffic flow has resumed, per officials.
“We are fortunate that the officer involved in this incident did not suffer serious injuries,” Assistant Pearl Police Chief Kyle Himmel said. “This crash serves as an important reminder to all drivers to remain vigilant and slow down when passing emergency vehicles. Our officers work tirelessly to keep the community safe, and it’s critical that motorists exercise caution when approaching scenes of law enforcement activity.”
Authorities remind drivers to always adhere to traffic laws, especially when emergency lights are flashing. Under state law, drivers are required to slow down and move over when passing a police vehicle, fire truck, or emergency vehicle on the side of the road.
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