Drunk Driver Hits Cruiser On Route 100: Howard County Police

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Hours into the new year, police said an officer was injured in Howard County when a drunk driver hit his cruiser. The crash happened after 2 a.m. on MD 100, officials said.

"As two HCPD officers stopped on the side of the road to help a motorist, a drunk driver slammed into one of their patrol cars," the Howard County Police Department reported.

The crash happened on Route 100 near Meadowridge Road, according to Lori Boone, spokeswoman for the Howard County Police Department. The officer was outside his vehicle at the time of the collision.

"The officer did receive medical treatment but thankfully his injuries were minor," she said.

Frank Tripoli, 28, of Falcon Crest Drive in Glen Burnie, was charged with DUI and related offenses.

Posting a picture of the crash on Facebook, police reminded the public that laws and enforcement around impaired driving exist to protect everyone, from drivers to passengers to pedestrians to police.

The legal blood alcohol limit in Maryland is .08.

There is also another law that was not adhered to in this case, which officials said could have helped avoid the crash.

Said police: "...Maryland law requires all drivers to 'move over' for police cars, fire trucks, rescue vehicles, and tow trucks anytime they are stopped on the side of the road!"

The "Move Over Law" requires motorists to move over one lane when possible to avoid hitting emergency vehicles—including police, fire and tow truck equipment—that have their emergency lights activated.

This is not the first time a suspected impaired driver has hit police in the area. In 2015, there were three suspected drunk drivers who hit police in Howard County in one month.

• Howard County Police: Officer Hospitalized After Suspected Drunk Driver
• Move Over Law Expands to Include Tow Trucks

Photo courtesy of the Howard County Police Department.