CHICAGO, IL – Two Chicago officers were struck by vehicles in separate incidents over the past couple of days.
While both of these cops are expected to be ok, the first incident caused leg injuries that still have the officer in the hospital. The following video shows what happened.
Even though the video shown by WGN stops just prior to the officer being struck, it is still difficult to watch.
The officer was standing in the intersection behind a police barrier, when the Kia seen in the video crashed through it, striking the officer, who was transported to the hospital in fair condition.
Police took the 28-year-old driver into custody, but they have not yet released details of the charges against that individual.
Meanwhile, Saturday night, another officer was hit in the arm when a routine traffic stop turned into a fleeing suspect.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, officers stopped a white Buick SUV kust before 10:00 p.m. in the 8600 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue.
During the stop, the driver sped away, striking the officer in the arm. The officer was taken to a hospital in good condition.
Police said that as the SUV sped off, it sideswiped a westbound Toyota Camry near Ingleside Avenue. A 38-year-old woman driving that car was able to escape the collision uninjured. The vehicle and its driver have yet to be located. Detectives continue to investigate.
Law Enforcement Today breathed a collective sigh of relief, along with these officers, their families and the CPD, when we heard that both officers are expected to be ok.
We have already lost at least 7 officers in the line of duty this year after they were hit by vehicles.
The most recent was earlier this month in Massachusetts.
FRAMINGHAM, MA – Trooper Thomas Devlin, who had been with the Massachusetts State Police since 1985, was injured during a routine traffic stop in 2018.
The State Police announced on Thursday that Trooper Devlin had succumbed to his injuries after a two year battle to overcome them.
“Trooper Devlin had many surgeries and finally succumbed to his injuries caused by the crash,” state police wrote in a statement.
Line-of-Duty Death of Trooper Thomas W. Devlin https://t.co/e59qG2C7UQ via @MassStatePolice
— Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) September 4, 2020
State Police Colonel Christopher Mason said:
“Trooper Thomas Devlin upheld the highest ideals of the Massachusetts State Police: integrity, dedication to duty, and service to others. He loved and respected the job, and the job loved and respected him.
Above all, he was utterly devoted to his family, and epitomized what it meant to be a loving husband and father.
Trooper Devlin was known in the Department for his hard work, his rock solid character, and his commitment to be being a reliable friend, co-worker and public servant — a Trooper who could be counted on by his colleagues and the public.
It was in service to the public, in the act of keeping our roads safe, that he gave his last, and the ultimate, sacrifice. We are lesser today for his loss and we will miss his smile.”
[embedded content]In July of 2018, while conducting a traffic stop on Route 3, a vehicle traveling in the breakdown lane, struck him after he exited his patrol car. He was alert at the scene, but was taken to the hospital with injuries that were, at the time, described as serious.
The driver of the vehicle stopped and cooperated with investigators. He was subsequently charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation and failure to move over for an emergency vehicle, as reported by WCBV 5.
Trooper Devlin is survived by his wife Nancy, two sons and two daughters.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Devlin family and the Massachusetts State Police.
And prior to that loss, we reported on the death of Dylan Pickle.
MONROE COUNTY MS- Monroe County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies were in northeast Mississippi conducting a safety checkpoint on Saturday night when a vehicle struck two of them, Deputies Dylan Pickle and Zach Wilbanks.
Both were rushed to the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo hospital where, unfortunately, Pickle succumbed to his injuries.
Wilbanks has undergone surgery for a leg injury and has head trauma from the crash.
As tragic as this incident is, all appearances seem to point to the driver stopping after the crash and it not being an intentional act. There is also no mention of the driver’s arrest found.
Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook advised that Pickle died hours after the crash occurred and believes the incident was just a tragic accident.
“There were four deputies at a checkpoint on Hamilton Rd near Seely Dr, and two were struck by a vehicle.
As far as the accident itself, the highway patrol is conducting the investigation, and it’s still under investigation, but it appears to be an accident,” he told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Police received the call of the deputies being struck at 9:44pm.
Wilbanks was a new deputy with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, having been hired sometime after January of this year.
However, he did have previous experience with the Aberdeen and Armory Police Departments.
Sheriff Crook advised that Pickle “worked in the jail and sent himself to the academy at Moorhead about the time I was taking over [January of 2020]. He came back from the academy, and we had just recently given him his shot and made him a patrol deputy. He was doing an awesome job. He won everybody over with his work ethic and attitude.”
Pickle also was enlisted in the Mississippi National Guard.
Crook continued:
“Both of them are great young deputies. Dylan had a bright future in front of him in law enforcement, and Zack still does. I think he’ll bounce back from this because he’s that kind of guy – resilient. It’s like what was said many times, [Pickle] did what he had his heart set on doing.”
As happens in these tragic situation, multiple agencies responded to assist in any way that the could. The Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department, Mississippi Highway Patrol, Aberdeen Police Department and MedState responded to assist.
Officers from the Aberdeen Police Department blocked the roads so that the ambulances could respond to the hospital quickly. Crook said:
“I want to thank everybody. Everybody tried and did everything they could – Hamilton Fire Department and MedState, even at North Mississippi Medical Center. They did everything they could, and we know it and appreciate it.”
Sheriff Kevin Crook confirmed the incident happened at a checkpoint in Hamilton. https://t.co/jMzBAflTBa
— WTVA 9 News (@wtva9news) July 26, 2020
Social media was streaming with multiple prayer requests and condolences given to the agency and Pickle’s family. Multiple others hoped and prayed for Wilbanks speedy and full recovery.
Mississippi Highway Patrol Colonel Randy Ginn offered this on twitter:
“It is with saddened hearts that we mourn the loss of Monroe County Deputy Sheriff Dylan Pickle. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.”- Colonel Randy Ginn pic.twitter.com/66nkBbFkha
— MS Highway Patrol (@MSHwyPatrol) July 28, 2020
“It is with saddened hearts that we mourn the loss of Monroe County Deputy Sheriff Dylan Pickle. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department during this difficult time.”
Northern District Public Safety Commissioner Brandon Presley also voiced his condolences on Facebook. Presley says in a post:
“The Monroe Co. Sheriff’s Dept. and this officer’s family need your prayers this morning. The loss of this Deputy Sheriff’s life is an absolute tragedy for the people of Monroe County.
Two deputies were struck by a vehicle at a checkpoint in Hamilton. Please continue in prayer for the other Deputy who is hospitalized with serious injuries.”
Although we do not know yet what caused the crash, we can at least take some comfort in knowing that it was not an attack on law enforcement.
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