An Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) deputy for the Independence Township substation was injured and transported to the hospital following an accident at Sashabaw and Maybee roads.
The accident occurred around 4:58 p.m. on June 22 while the 33-year-old male deputy was responding to another accident near that location.
‘The officer was responding to an emergency call and got to the intersection with his lights and siren, all of his emergency equipment running and actually came to a complete stop. It appeared that all traffic had stopped for him. As he got out into the intersection, the other driver came through and hit him in the passenger side,? said Major Damon Shields of the OCSO.
Driving westbound on Maybee Road in a fully marked 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, the deputy was attempting to cross Sashabaw Road when he was struck by the southbound 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer.
The other driver, a 62-year-old woman from Clarkston, refused treatment at the scene, according to Shields. Her vehicle’s air bag deployed during the accident and she was not wearing a seat belt, explained Shields.
Due to the impact of the accident, the officer received soft tissue injuries and the patrol car’s dashboard had to be removed in order to extract the officer. The Independence Township Fire Department transported the deputy to the Genesys Medical Center in Grand Blanc for treatment and he was released after observation around 2 a.m.
‘He was feeling okay, other than some bumps and bruises,? said Shields.
‘This is just one of those things that happens when you’re in our business. I think when you drive as many miles as we do and especially when you have to run emergency calls, it’s going to happen,? he added. ‘It’s unfortunate. We’re just thankful the woman was okay and our officer is okay.?
No citations were initially issued, but the accident remains under investigation. The deputy was wearing his seat belt stated an OCSO press release. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash.