State Trooper survives being hit by tractor trailer on I-81
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WSLS News Staff
Published: June 16, 2008
A Virginia State Police Trooper survives his cruiser being hit by a tractor trailer this morning.
Investigators tell us Trooper P.C. Gardner was pulled over on the right shoulder of Interstate 81 in Rockbridge County around 6:47 a.m., and had just released a traffic violator, when he heard a vehicle hit the rumble strips, looked up, saw an oncoming UPS tractor trailer, and jumped into the passenger seat of his cruiser before the truck hit it.
The UPS truck lost control, hit a guardrail, and went down an embankment.
Luckily, neither the trooper nor the driver is seriously hurt. EMS crews took Trooper Gardner to Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington with cuts, bruises, and scrapes.
State Police charged the driver of the UPS truck, 57 year old Mikel Elliott from Blacksburg with reckless driving.
State Police are still investigating the crash.
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( burgerbritches ) on June 28, 2008 at 5:11 pm
One has to understand UPS is Union...employees are represented by the Teamsters. If Mr. Elliot has a safe driving record, he will only be suspended for a short period at most.
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Posted by ( steffie ) on June 25, 2008 at 12:18 am
Id have to say im thankful there were no serious injuries, Replying to Elliot is job hunting today, that may be but he has had a clean record for at least 30 years as a truck driver, and enjoys his job, it would be unfortunate for him to lose a job hes enjoyed and worked at so hard all his life. This is why it is called an ACCIDENT! We send our wishes and thank god everyone involved is safe
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Posted by ( Brenda ) on June 17, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Glad the trooper is OK. 2nd time this spring same thing has occurred! No excuse for not giving our officers on the road the room they need.
Was law enforcement ever able to identify the semi-truck that fled the scene in the 1st incident? Wish they could.
Although the article doesn’t specify, I’d say Elliot is job hunting today....
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