Two Atlanta police officers are recovering Saturday after their cars were struck by drivers at separate crash scenes, authorities said.
The first wreck occurred about 3:10 a.m. when an officer responded to a wreck in the northbound lanes of the Downtown Connector, Atlanta police investigator James White said.
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The officer activated their emergency lights near the Fulton Street exit when the driver of a Jeep Commander SUV rear-ended the patrol car, he said. The officer was taken to the hospital after complaining of head pain.
The Jeep’s driver, who was not identified, was charged with driving under the influence.
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The second wreck occurred about two hours later in the southbound lanes of I-75, White said. As the officer pulled up to a single-vehicle wreck on the left shoulder near 14th Street, their cruiser was struck by a red pickup truck. The officer was taken to the hospital with neck and back pain, police said.
The driver who crashed into them was cited for driving too fast for conditions.
Georgia's "move-over" law requires drivers to switch lanes when approaching emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the highway in order to protect police, firefighters, EMS crews and Georgia Department of Transportation workers. If drivers are unable to get over in time, the law requires that they slow down and prepare to stop.
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