Driver Rear Ends Squad Car During Traffic Jam

Mount Pleasant Police were caught in a traffic back-up on their way to assist a disabled vehicle Friday afternoon when another driver rear-ended their squad car.

MPPD Sgt. Matthew Soens - and a press release sent later - confirmed to Patch that around 3:39 p.m. Friday, officers were responding to a call about a disabled vehicle just east of the intersection of 90th Street and Highway 20. As they approached the area, they were caught in a traffic back-up.

Erick Mourat, 36, of Racine, was driving a pick-up truck behind the squad when he rear-ended the officers.

"The driver said his GPS unit fell and he was trying to pick it up and did not realize the other vehicles were stopped (or) stopping," Soens wrote.

South Shore Fire Department transported Mourat to Wheaton Franciscan St. Mary's with arm injuries and facial lacerations caused by the air bag in his truck deploying.

Two officers were present in the car because the driver is a recent graduate of the police academy and he was driving with his Field Training Officer. Both officers went to the hospital to get treatment for neck and back pain and were released a short time later. 

According to a member of SSFD, the squad car suffered moderate damage to the back of it while the pick-up truck sustained significant damage to its front end.

All parties were wearing their seat belts, Soens confirmed. The driver of the pick-up truck was cited for inattentive driving.