An impaired driver was apprehended after being involved in a serious crash that left two Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers with injuries. The accident occurred on East Independence Boulevard near Bojangles Coliseum last night, according to WBTV. The injured officers, identified as Officer L. Poplin and Officer S. Biondo, suffered head trauma and lower body injuries as reported in the arrest warrant.
Thomas Royster, the 36-year-old driver of the car that allegedly struck the officers' vehicle, was charged with two counts of felony serious injury by vehicle and driving with a revoked license. Court documents indicate Royster's bond was set at $30,000 on Thursday morning after initially being denied, as per information from WBTV. This tragic incident managed to not only disrupt the lives of those directly involved but also to significantly delay traffic on a major artery into the city.
WCCB Charlotte's coverage of the aftermath revealed that the crash near the Briar Creek Road exit resulted in heavy front-end damage to both Royster's car and the CMPD SUV cruiser. Footage showed one police officer being loaded into an ambulance, and the suspect clearly injured, suggesting the violence of the collision. WCCB confirmed that non-life-threatening injuries were sustained by at least one individual who was taken to the hospital by paramedics.
According to WCNC, Thomas Royster faces felony charges under North Carolina law for allegedly having caused serious harm while driving under the influence. The road closure due to the accident had created extensive traffic backups that lasted for hours, only ending around 9:30 p.m. when the North Carolina Department of Transportation announced the full reopening of the thoroughfare. The warrant did not specify the substance Royster was allegedly impaired by at the time of Wednesday’s collision.
