Driver allegedly on phone slams into cruiser, seriously injuring Massachusetts State Police trooper
A Massachusetts State Police trooper was seriously injured after his cruiser was hit on Interstate 95 in Salisbury on Saturday. According to police, the driver who allegedly caused the crash was on his phone at the time.
The trooper pulled over with his emergency lights on to remove a ladder from the left lane around 2:15 p.m.
He removed the ladder, got back into the car and buckled his seatbelt when he was hit by another vehicle, according to police.
Massachusetts State Police trooper injured
State police said it happened "suddenly and without warning."
The trooper was seriously injured and received medical attention from EMS and other officers on scene. He was taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital in New Hampshire.
On Monday, state police said the injured trooper was released from the hospital and will continue to recover at home. His identity has not been released.
Driver was allegedly using cellphone
The driver of the other vehicle was taken to Lawrence General Hospital. He was later identified as Josue Levi Cuevas Santana of Lawrence. Police did not release additional details about his condition.
Santana will be criminally summoned for multiple offenses that include negligent operation, speeding, using a mobile device while driving and failure to move over for emergency vehicle.
"In the days and weeks ahead, the State Police will fully investigate the facts and circumstances of this crash, including the actions of the driver as well as the ladder in the roadway that prompted the Trooper to stop in the first place," Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said in a statement. "We do so while keeping our focus on our injured colleague, who has the full support of the Massachusetts State Police as he recovers from several serious injuries."
Three lanes of I-95 were closed while debris and the ladder were cleaned up.
"This incident also underscores a broader, ongoing concern for the safety of those who work on our highways," Noble said. "Far too often, drivers fail in their responsibility to slow down and move over when approaching emergency vehicles displaying their lights. This law exists to protect lives. If not for this Trooper's decision to wear his seatbelt, the outcome could have been even more tragic."
Salisbury, Massachusetts is over 40 miles from Boston. It is located around 2 miles from the New Hampshire border.