Cop Injured While Investigating Accident Released From Hospital

CRESTWOOD, IL — A Crestwood police officer who was seriously injured when investigating a traffic accent last week has been released from the hospital. Police said the officer was hit by a car that failed to yield to emergency vehicles on the scene of the accident.

Around 6:40 p.m. Nov. 21, Crestwood police responded to a car accident near 141st Street and Cicero Avenue. The two officers were investigating a car accident and were blocking the curbside lane of traffic.

The officer was leaning inside the open passenger door of his patrol car when he was hit by a car traveling at a high rate of speed, police said. A Chicago man was charged with failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, or Scott’s Law, and other offenses.

Police said the officer suffered from severe head trauma and was unconscious at the scene. The officer was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in serious condition.

Crestwood police thanks the community for all the messages of support.

“We posted about the accident on Sunday morning and immediately received an outpouring of support for the officer and his family,” police posted on Facebook. “It is the kind words of the community that reminds police officers everywhere as to why they wanted to be a police officer in the first place.”

The officer has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

”He will obviously have several follow up medical appointments, but we are just grateful that he is recovering,” police said.