A Harford County Sheriff's deputy was injured on Interstate 95 Tuesday during a pursuit involving a Penske rental truck, according to law enforcement officials. Deputies said a person who was initially detained and hospitalized has since been released. 

The incident closed I-95 in both directions for several hours in Aberdeen before MD-22 (Exit 85), according to the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA). All lanes northbound and southbound are back open. 

The injured deputy was alert and conscious, officials said Tuesday. 

Rental truck police pursuit

Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said the incident began around 11:30 a.m. after Lieutenant Robert Burgess saw a rental truck driving "erratically and in an unsafe manner" along Snake Lane in Churchville. 

The driver fled the scene as Lt. Burgess attempted to conduct a traffic stop. 

According to Gahler, the truck was then involved in a crash with a U.S. mail truck. No injuries were reported. The box truck was involved in a second collision minutes later with a vehicle that had multiple passengers. No injuries were reported in that crash. 

The truck then got on I-95 south, driving erratically in the wrong direction, Sheriff Gahler said. At that time, Maryland State Police joined the pursuit. 

"I also want to note we had to shut down both sides of 95 today for a long time in the order of public safety, to find the suspect and get our deputy to safety, so I want to thank all the people who were stuck, thanks for your patience," Gahler said. 

Sheriff's deputy injured on I-95

Lt. Burgess was out of his vehicle to deploy stop sticks when the truck hit him on I-95, Gahler said. 

"We are fortunate that we are not talking about a police officer fatality today," the sheriff added. 

The truck then crossed over into the northbound lanes, where an officer used their vehicle to force the truck off the road near the Maryland House exit. 

According to Gahler, the driver got out of the vehicle at that time and ran down a nearby hill. 

Emergency personnel responded shortly after, and Lt. Burgess was flown to Shock Trauma, where he was alert and conscious, Gahler said Tuesday. 

According to Gahler, a person was found near the scene on I-95 south and was unresponsive when police attempted to talk with him. The person was initially detained and taken to a hospital, though officials said Tuesday evening that the person was released. 

"After an interview with the individual detained from today's incident, Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division have released him," the sheriff's office said. "The investigation into the identification of the individual driving the truck at the time he struck a HCSO Deputy continues."

Gahler said the box truck contained cooking oil that deputies linked to a theft earlier Tuesday at an Applebee's restaurant in Aberdeen. 

Lt. Burgess is a 29-year veteran of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, according to Gahler.  

"Harford County is grateful for the heroic actions of the sheriff's deputies and other law enforcement officers who surely saved lives today," County Executive Bob Cassilly said in a statement. "Lt. Burgess' family is with him at the hospital, where I thanked them for his selfless dedication. We are praying for his full recovery."