A tragic accident at the end of September has killed a Willoughby, Ohio, police officer. The Willoughby police chief stated the on-duty officer was the first to pass in the line of duty in over 50 years.
The policeman was responding to a request for backup from another officer at the time of the crash. A pickup truck driver was apparently distracted, and did not yield before turning into the right-of-way of the police cruiser. The officer was unable to stop and crashed into the pickup. The crash resulted in the cruiser colliding with a tree in a resident’s front yard.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and found the officer unresponsive without a pulse. His car was badly damaged, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. In 2009, this officer was named the Willoughby Special Officer of the year, and he had been with the department since 2003.
This terrible accident could have been avoided if one driver had been more attentive, and yielded to the officer. Unfortunately, tragedies happen. To ease the distress and financial burdens of these tragedies, there are legal options available to compensate innocent victims and their families.
Source: NBC 4, “Ohio Police Officer Killed In Collision With Truck,” Sept. 23, 2012
Posted in: Car Accidents, Fatal Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury