Passenger in patrol car injured in collision on his way to jail

2/23/2002

A 41-year-old Colorado man remained in serious condition yesterday in St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center after a car crashed into the Ohio Highway Patrol cruiser that was taking him to jail.

Harry J. Thompson was a passenger in a patrol cruiser driven by Trooper William Bowers early Monday when it was struck on the passenger side by a car that ran a red light at Lemoyne Road and State Rt. 795, authorities said.

Mr. Thompson had been arrested in Perrysburg for drunken driving and was on his way to the Wood County Jail about 3:20 a.m., said Sgt. Raymond Pacheco, of the patrol's Walbridge post. Mr. Thompson had a blood-alcohol content of 0.111 per cent. The legal limit in Ohio is 0.1 per cent.

Trooper Bowers was southbound on Lemoyne and stopped at the traffic signal. His light turned green and Shannon E. Kruse, 22, of Graytown, Ohio, who was driving east on State Rt. 795, entered the intersection and struck the patrol vehicle, authorities said. The trooper and Ms. Kruse were treated at St. Charles Mercy Hospital.

Ms. Kruse was cited for failure to stop a red light.