SCARSDALE, NY — A Westchester County Police officer was seriously injured Saturday night after he was struck by a passing motorist near the Scarsdale – New Rochelle border.
The incident occurred at 9:27 pm on the southbound Hutchison River Parkway near Mamaroneck Road. Southbound lanes were closed and expected to remain so for several hours. Traffic is being diverted onto Mamaroneck Avenue.
The officer was there assisting a motorist whose car had broken down. He requsted a tow truck
“When the tow truck arrived the officer stepped out of his patrol car and was hit by a passing vehicle,” said WCPD spokesperson Kieran O’Leary.
O’Leary told Talk of the Sound that the driver stopped.
The officer was taken to Westchester Medical Center by a full police escort.
“He is conscious but did suffer some significant injuries,” said O’Leary.
An investigation into the accident is under way.
Photo and video courtesy of Gary Marks.
UPDATE: COUNTY POLICE OFFICER INJURED ON THE HUTCH IN STABLE CONDITION
The Westchester County Police officer who was struck by a car Saturday night on the Hutchinson River Parkway remains hospitalized today in stable condition at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla.
The officer was struck outside his patrol vehicle about 9:30 p.m., while assisting a motorist whose car had broken down on the southbound side of the parkway near Mamaroneck Road in Scarsdale. The officer and his patrol car were struck after he had closed the right lane to create a safety zone for a tow truck that had arrived on the scene. The marked patrol car’s emergency lights were activated at the time.
The driver of the vehicle that struck the officer – a 63-year-old Massachusetts woman — was evaluated by county police and determined not to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No charges have been filed, although the investigation is continuing.
“We are grateful that the officer’s injuries, though serious, are not life-threatening,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “The incident is a reminder of the hazards that officers face while keeping our parkways safe.”
Commissioner George N. Longworth reminded motorists to exercise caution and move to the adjacent lane of travel when they encounter emergency vehicles on the parkways.
