Rig hits patrol car; trooper hurt

10/11/2008

An Ohio Highway Patrol trooper was hurt when his cruiser and a tractor-trailer rig collided early yesterday on I-475 in Sylvania Township, closing the eastbound lanes for about two hours, authorities said.

Trooper Jason Archer, 27, of Woodville was taken to Flower Hospital, troopers at the patrol's Toledo post said. He was released from the hospital later in the morning after treatment, a hospital spokesman said.

The crash occurred about 2:45 a.m. on eastbound I-475 near Corey Road. The trooper was driving east on the freeway when he slowed and turned to initiate a traffic stop, at which time he failed to see an eastbound semi and turned in front of it.

The semi struck the cruiser in the rear driver-side door and the trunk. The cruiser's emergency lights and the siren were not activated at the time of the crash. The driver of the semi was not hurt.

Traffic on I-475 returned to normal about 4:30 a.m.

The crash remained under investigation. There was no word of citations yesterday.