Trooper Out of Hospital after Being Hit By Tractor Trailer

A Massachusetts State Trooper whose cruiser was hit by a tractor-trailer on the Mass. Turnpike Friday night received emergency treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital and was released Saturday morning, according to state police reports.

The trooper, a 44-year-old man, suffered injuries that will require follow-up testing and care.

The tractor-trailer operator faces charges in connection with the crash.

The trooper was inside his cruiser, a 2013 Ford Expedition, in the right lane just past Exit 17 in Newton when it was struck by the tractor-trailer. The trooper had the cruiser’s emergency lights activated, while he was protecting a road construction crew.

At 9:40 p.m. the tractor tailer truck hit the Expedition from behind by the truck. The force of the impact pushed the Expedition from the right lane across the center and left travel lanes, where it hit the median guardrail, an investigation reveals. Both vehicles suffered heavy damage and were towed from the scene.

The driver, lL B. Hughes, 32, of New Britain, Conn., was cited for failure to move over for an emergency vehicle/road crew and failure to take care in stopping.

The truck is a 2014 Freightliner registered out of Indiana and owned by the Swift Transportation of Company of Arizona. That company has a business address of Gary, Indiana.