Police officer injured in collision; US 60 closed in Mesa
Aug 11, 2020, 11:40 AM | Updated: 5:19 pm
(Arizona DPS Photo)
(Arizona DPS Photo)
PHOENIX – Part of U.S. 60 in Mesa was closed for an extended period Tuesday after a serious injury collision involving a police officer, authorities said.
Eastbound traffic was forced to exit at Greenfield Road starting starting just before 11:30 a.m., according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
The freeway reopened at about 4:45 p.m., ADOT said.
Sgt. Kameron Lee of the Arizona Department of Public Safety told KTAR News 92.3 FM the officer had stopped to remove a ladder from the center lane of U.S. 60 when an SUV slammed into his vehicle from behind.
“The impact was tremendous,” Lee said. “It caused the SUV to roll and actually forced the officer’s car all the way off onto the right shoulder and to the wall.”
Rescuers had to cut the door off the police vehicle to get the officer out before taking him to a hospital.
Lee said the officer suffered critical injuries. He said “the prognosis looks good” that the officer will survive, but “anything can happen.”
The woman driving the SUV was hospitalized with serious but not life-threatening injuries, Lee said.
DPS is handling the investigation into the incident.
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KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.
