SALEM, Va. – Trooper Tim Derosha was nearly hit by a car during a traffic stop near Valley View Mall on Wednesday.
“It really took me by surprise. It was pretty scary,” Derosha said.
Derosha explained how more drivers need to remember that when you see someone on the side of the road, by law, you must slow down.
“I just want to say, 'Pay attention to the road. Put the phones down.' You need to be very alert to what's going on around the highway,” Derosha said.
In the lobby of the Virginia State Police, there are photos of crashes involving state and local police officers who have been hit by a car in the line of duty.
Some of them survived, while others made the ultimate sacrifice.
“Emergency responders all deal with this every day in this job. I'd like to see people slow down if they can't move over or move over if they can,” Sgt. Rick Garletts of the Virginia State Police said.