A Westchester County police officer was injured on the Cross County Parkway when he was hit by a motorist while investigating an earlier crash, according to recent reports. Nicholas Ramundo was taken to Jacobi Medical Center after being struck by a passing car on the eastbound side of the parkway at the split between express and local lanes. Ramundo had stopped to investigate an accident. He sustained injuries to his leg and arm but was treated and released at the hospital.
The motorist the case was not charged, although an investigation into the incident continued. The express lanes were blocked during the investigation, resulting in slowed traffic.
This represents the third time a Westchester County police officer has been hit by a car on a local freeway in the past year, according to police sources. Officer Paul DeSousa was hit and slightly injured on the Saw Mill River Parkway in January, while Officer Scott McMahon remains homebound due to serious injuries sustained in an accident on the Hutchinson River Parkway in July. Police remind motorists to use extreme caution and move over as well as slowing down when they approach a scene in which police vehicles are stopped with emergency lights activated.
Rules Regarding Police Vehicles At The Scene of An Accident
It is important to remember that emergency vehicles always have the right of way when they are engaged in helping others at the scene of an accident. Ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and other first responder vehicles will always have the right of way when their lights are flashing. Not only should drivers yield to them by pulling over whenever possible but they should also move over to the adjacent lane whenever it is safe to do so if a first responder or police officer is stopped on the side of the road.
When a driver fails to yield the right-of-way to a police officer or other official at an accident scene, that driver can be ticketed. If the driver causes injury to an officer, the driver can be charged and may also face civil penalties as the result of a lawsuit.
If you have been injured in a roadside accident, it is important to stand up for your rights and demand payment of your expenses. Contact the personal injury attorneys at the Fitzgerald Law Firm for more information on how you may be able to recover compensation for your losses.