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RI officer crashes patrol SUV into building to avoid vehicle

The officer was responding to a disturbance in progress when he had to swerve off of the road to avoid hitting a vehicle

Rhode Island police car crash.jpg

The officer suffered injuries when he swerved his cruiser into a building to avoid a vehicle

Photo / Providence Journal via Twitter

Donita Naylor
The Providence Journal, R.I.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A patrol officer was injured Saturday night when he swerved to avoid a vehicle and the police SUV he was driving jumped the curb and hit a brick building.

Police Chief Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. said Sunday evening that the officer was responding just before 11 p.m. to a disturbance in progress, weapons involved, at the beginning of his shift.

He was outbound on Broadway, Clements said, when a vehicle emerged from the right. The officer swerved left, hitting a building at Vinton Street and Broadway, where signs say Mike the Tailor and direct deliveries to another address.

The injured officer was taken to the hospital, Clements said, “and thank God he’s recovering.”

Clements said the circumstances are being investigated. But accidents do happen, he said, especially when police try to reach a potentially violent situation in time to prevent a tragedy. “Unfortunately, officers get injured.”

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©2019 The Providence Journal (Providence, R.I.)

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