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GRAHAM, N.C. -
A Highway Patrol trooper in Alamance County was hospitalized Monday morning after an SUV plowed into his patrol car as it sat along the side of Interstate 40/85.
Trooper Humberto Reyna was investigating an accident along the interstate in Graham shortly after 8 a.m. when, according to investigators, the driver of a Mercury SUV going too fast lost control on the wet road and slammed into Reyna's car at nearly 75 mph.
Sgt. T.D. Frye said that after hitting the patrol car, the SUV took out a sign on the side of the interstate before coming to a stop in a ditch.
Reyna was taken to the hospital and was listed in stable condition as of 5 p.m.
The driver of the car and her passengers were treated for minor injuries. The driver was fined for speeding and having unsafe tires.
A pedestrian who was talking to Reyna about the earlier accident was also hit when the trooper's car spun around from the impact. He's listed in stable condition at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.
Frye said the driver of the SUV saw the trooper's emergency lights flashing and tried to get over, but couldn't because there was too much traffic.
"The driver was attempting to move over," he said. "Speed was a factor and also the unsafe tires on the vehicle."
Frye said the stretch of interstate where the accident happened is dangerous due to the heavy flow of traffic connecting Alamance and Guilford counties.
"You've got four lanes and vehicles traveling anywhere from 65, 75, 85 miles an hour. It just takes a fraction of a second ot make a mistake, and then tragedy occurs," he said.
Trooper Humberto Reyna was investigating an accident along the interstate in Graham shortly after 8 a.m. when, according to investigators, the driver of a Mercury SUV going too fast lost control on the wet road and slammed into Reyna's car at nearly 75 mph.
Sgt. T.D. Frye said that after hitting the patrol car, the SUV took out a sign on the side of the interstate before coming to a stop in a ditch.
Reyna was taken to the hospital and was listed in stable condition as of 5 p.m.
The driver of the car and her passengers were treated for minor injuries. The driver was fined for speeding and having unsafe tires.
A pedestrian who was talking to Reyna about the earlier accident was also hit when the trooper's car spun around from the impact. He's listed in stable condition at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill.
Frye said the driver of the SUV saw the trooper's emergency lights flashing and tried to get over, but couldn't because there was too much traffic.
"The driver was attempting to move over," he said. "Speed was a factor and also the unsafe tires on the vehicle."
Frye said the stretch of interstate where the accident happened is dangerous due to the heavy flow of traffic connecting Alamance and Guilford counties.
"You've got four lanes and vehicles traveling anywhere from 65, 75, 85 miles an hour. It just takes a fraction of a second ot make a mistake, and then tragedy occurs," he said.
