In the early hours of Saturday morning, a collision occurred at the intersection of 24th and Dove Streets in Port Huron, involving a police officer and a pickup truck driver. The crash, captured on a nearby gas station's security video, was reported by WWJ Newsradio as taking place around 2:20 a.m. on November 2. The Port Huron officer was driving south on 24th Street, approaching a flashing yellow light while simultaneously, a 52-year-old St. Clair resident in a Dodge Ram was driving east on Dove, disregarded the flashing red light, and slammed into the police car.
Both parties involved in the collision sustained minor injuries and were released from the hospital, with the truck driver receiving a citation for disregarding the flashing red light, according to information obtained by ClickOnDetroit. Releasing the citation, who was unnamed, for causing an accident. Meanwhile, The Times Herald reported that the Dodge Ram rolled over following the impact, resulting in severe damage to both vehicles.
Port Huron Assistant Police Chief Jeremy Young shared details about the event, stating that the officer "was driving in their patrol vehicle south on 24th Street through the intersection when another driver headed east on Dove Street in a Dodge Ram reportedly ran a blinking red light and hit the officer's vehicle." This fact was reiterated by the aforementioned police department, which emphasized the preventable nature of such accidents and the importance of observing traffic signals in a press release.
The police department has since urged the community to stay alert, follow traffic signals carefully, and drive defensively to mitigate the chance of future incidents. They offered safety tips such as avoiding distractions and using caution in all conditions that were acquired by a statement from WWJ Newsradio. The department's reminder to the public comes after a severe accident, emphasizing that "Your focus on the road can prevent accidents and help keep our community safe."
