Aurora police rely on drivers yielding the right of way in emergency situations

The Aurora Police Department says that Tuesday's collision between a suspected drunk driver and two of their officers responding to a call is a good reminder that when you're on the roads, you need to always be aware.

Officer Michael Gaskill, the Deputy Chief of Patrol Operations for the Aurora Police Department, says getting to an emergency quickly is a lot harder than you might imagine.

"It's difficult. There are a lot of things that you need to pay attention to and be aware of," said Gaskill. "You're trying to think about the call itself and then also getting safely to the call."

Which is why the state has laws in place to protect first responders.

"Colorado law advises all drivers on the road to yield to emergency vehicles. Pull to the right side of the road, when possible, as far to the curb line as they can," said Gaskill.

But he also says people just aren't getting out of the way, the way they used to.

"These days, with your vehicles being so insulated and radios on, distractions with cell phones, it makes it more difficult," said Gaskill.

Not to mention the danger impaired drivers pose to everyone on the roads. That's what happened at the intersection of Peoria and Yale on Tuesday. Two officers were responding to a call with lights and sirens on when a suspected drunk driver T-boned them. Gaskill says collisions like this can happen in an instant.

"The accident we've been discussing, that happened with less than a second before they were out of the intersection," said Gaskill.

So, he is asking drivers to be more aware of emergency vehicles on the roads. If not, there may be consequences beyond a citation.

"It could cause an accident. Obviously, it will prevent us from responding to the emergency at the time. And it could also cause additional accidents with other vehicles in the area," said Gaskill.

The officers who were involved in that collision were taken to the hospital with minor injuries and have since been released. The suspected drunk driver was arrested.

Investigators said the driver, Anthony Robinson Jr., 32, of Aurora, tried to leave the scene of the crash, but was stopped by officers about a block away. Officers detained Robinson for suspected DUI, leaving the scene of a crash and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.