Manchester Man Involved in Crash With Vernon Police Cruiser

Two Vernon Police Department vehicles are out of service due to the damage sustained in two separate crashes on Thursday night.

At approximately 8:44 p.m., a Vernon police officer was on general patrol, traveling northbound on Vernon Avenue when he saw a Nissan Sentra traveling southbound on Vernon Avenue erratically cross over the double yellow lines of the two lane roadway and crash into a GMC Yukon.

The Yukon had been traveling directly in front of the officer’s cruiser when it was struck and after hitting the GMC, the Nissan struck the officer’s police car head on.

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The operator of the GMC, a 57-year-old Vernon woman, was not injured. The officer sustained minor injuries to his hand and was treated and later released from Rockville General Hospital.

The operator of the Nissan, a 32-year-old Manchester man, was transported by Vernon EMS to Rockville General Hospital for non life-threatening injuries.

The Nissan sustained heavy front end damage and the officer’s police car and Yukon sustained moderate damage.

Vernon Avenue was shut down for several hours. The crash is still under investigation and is being conducted by the Vernon Police Traffic Unit and Metro Traffic Services. Charges are likely to be filed against the Manchester man.

At approximately 10:10 p.m., an officer was coming from Rockville General Hospital - after being with the injured officer - when he observed a Nissan Pathfinder traveling erratically in front of him, heading southbound on Vernon Avenue.

The officer attempted to stop the Nissan for the erratic operation and activated his emergency lights. The Nissan stopped in the middle of the road, then suddenly went in reverse and crashed into the front of the officer’s police car, causing significant damage.

This second crash was approximately one mile away from the other crash scene, which was still being investigated.

The Nissan was operated by a 32-year-old Vernon woman and the passenger was the vehicle’s owner, a 31-year-old Vernon man. The woman had a learner’s permit and investigation revealed that she was learning how to drive at night and panicked after being stopped by the police.

Non one involved in this incident was injured, but the woman was cited with an infractions ticket for failure to drive right and unsafe backing.