A Mesa police officer was critically injured after a collision on U.S. 60 the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 11. The officer, who has not been identified, saw a ladder blocking an eastbound lane near Higley Road at around 11 a.m., according to the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The officer stopped the patrol car and turned on his emergency lights so that other drivers would not strike the vehicle. Before the officer could get out of the patrol car, a woman driving an SUV hit his car from behind. The impact of the crash forced the patrol car across traffic lanes, and the SUV rolled on its side. Both the woman, who suffered serious injuries, and the officer were hospitalized.
DPS reported that the police officer is in his 30s and has a decade of experience in law enforcement. State troopers were responding to a call about the ladder in the road at the time of the crash. It’s not clear if the woman was distracted or intoxicated at the time of the accident. An investigation is ongoing.
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Story Update:Mesa police identify officer critically injured in crash on U.S. 60
The Mesa Police Department identified the police officer who was critically injured in a crash on eastbound U.S. 60 on Tuesday. According to the Arizona Republic, the officer is Sam Stoddard. The Mesa police department says he has over 13 years of law enforcement experience and is also a military veteran who was deployed four times to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Mesa police officer, whohad stopped to clear a ladder from the middle of the highway near the 48th Street overpass, was seriously injured in Tuesday’s accident when an SUV rear-ended his patrol vehicle. Stoddard has also worked with other veterans through his non-profit group, the Archangels.
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