Suspected drunken driver hits patrol car with officer inside on Ga. 400, police say
Sandy Springs police said a suspected drunken driver hit a police car while an officer was inside over the weekend.
The officer had his emergency lights flashing for a lane closure on Ga. 400 South near Hammond Drive at about 5 a.m. Saturday, according to a Sandy Springs police Facebook post. Although the patrol car was visible, police said 38-year-old Elfego Lucas Rivas of Roswell hit the vehicle at a high speed and then left the scene.
Rivas was caught three miles south of the crash near the Glenridge Connector exit, police spokesman Sgt. Salvador Ortega said.
Rivas was charged with DUI, hit-and-run, aggravated assault, reckless driving, failure to report accident, move over law violation, driving while unlicensed and following too closely.
The officer, who is part of the Traffic Unit team, was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Ortega. He has since been released and is resting at home.
Sandy Springs police are reminding drivers to slow down or move over for an emergency vehicle that has activated its lights.
“In the event that you cannot move over due to traffic, you must slow down and carefully pass the emergency vehicle,” according to the Facebook post.
About the Author
Tanni Deb, a Michigan native, is a content producer for the AJC, primarily covering breaking news, crime and public safety. After graduating from Northwestern University, she worked as a TV reporter before producing long-form feature videos on business trends across Africa.
