An Indiana State Police trooper is now at home recuperating from injuries after being struck by a suspected drunk driver on Interstate 465. First Sgt. Todd Harless, a 33-year veteran, was hit yesterday morning while investigating a multi-vehicle crash. According to WTHR, Harless’ marked police car was parked in the left lane with its emergency lights on to protect the crash scene near US-31 and South East Street.
At approximately 3:14 a.m., while Harless was working outside his vehicle, a 2002 Honda Civic crashed into his 2017 Dodge Charger police car. This crash thrust the police car forward, hitting the trooper himself. WISH-TV reports that the back of Harless' vehicle was left resembling the letter V, and the Honda sustained a smashed front with a cracked windshield. "Sergeant Harless was investigating a crash in that construction zone and there was no shoulders there," said Sergeant John Perrine, a public information officer for the Indiana State Police, painting a picture of a perilous scene on a stretch of road hindered by infrastructure work.
The driver of the Civic was extricated from the wreckage by the fire department and showed signs of impairment, as conveyed by Sergeant Perrine in a statement obtained by WISH-TV: "He [the driver] had to be extricated by the fire department," said Perrine. "When they arrived, he was somewhat entrapped in the vehicle wreckage." Both Harless and the driver were hospitalized, with the former now recovering at home and the latter still in a medical facility. The incident led to a warning from Perrine about the dangers of driving under the influence. "Time and time again, we hear about these stories where somebody makes the selfish decision to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, and it changes lives forever," he stated.
While the trooper was released from the hospital, Indiana State Police investigators are still awaiting results of the blood test to confirm if alcohol was indeed a factor, as initially suspected. Adding to a troubling trend, WRTV noted that the department reported at least 10 troopers or their vehicles have been struck on Indianapolis interstates this year alone.
"There are so many options for getting home safely," Trooper Cameron Bottema told WTHR in a separate incident where a trooper was injured by a drunk driver. "If you are going to drink, absolutely do not drive, not only are the troopers likes in danger but are the lives of every single person on the roadway." State Police have intensified patrols and are collaborating with other agencies to enhance road safety in response to the recurring occurrences.
