Driver sideswipes police car in Marblehead
A Marblehead driver who sideswiped a police cruiser on Tuesday morning was cited for violating the Massachusetts Move Over Law.
The driver who hit the cruiser pulled over immediately and was apologetic, saying she misjudged the distance between her car and the stopped patrol car, according to the Marblehead Police Department.
The officer had pulled over a car for taking an illegal turn at about 11 a.m. and was processing the driver’s license and registration at his cruiser when his car “shook violently with a grinding sound of metal on metal,” according to police.
“The officer, although shaken, was uninjured and he checked to make sure the other driver was ok [sic], which she was,” wrote police in a statement.
After investigating, police determined that the driver was not impaired, had a good driving record, and had not been distracted by any devices, according to police.
The patrol car was taken out of service and towed to an auto body shop for repairs.
“Please, as you approach us, or any emergency crews on the road, slow down and give us a wide berth — our safety is in your hands,” wrote police.
The Move Over Law, which was created to protect stopped public safety and public service vehicles stopped on the side of the road, requires drivers to either change lanes on a multi-lane roadway or slow down and use extra care when approaching stopped emergency vehicles.
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