GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Dashcam footage released Friday is showing the moment a Grand Rapids police officer was hit head-on by an alleged drunk driver.
The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Eastern Avenue SE and Griggs Street. The officer, who was in the process of dropping off paperwork for another officer, was driving northbound on Eastern Avenue SE and was hit head-on by a Toyota Camry that crossed the centerline.
Police say the Camry did not have its headlights on.
Both drivers were taken to a hospital, but the officer's injuries are said to be serious, and he'll be off the job for several months.
The officer is in his early 30s and has a decade of experience on the job.
"Watching that video if that had been somebody a little older or somebody with a medical issue, this would've had a much more tragic ending than it did," said Grand Rapids Police Chief Eric Winstrom.
Winstrom commended the officer for continuing to do his job after the crash.
“Despite being injured himself, our officer immediately responded to check on the other driver,” said Winstrom. “I am very proud of his actions and am thankful for the other first responders that were on scene so quickly. There could have been a much worse outcome for both drivers and other vehicles in the area.”
Dashcam footage showing the crash was released by police.
The driver, who sustained several broken ribs, is still in the hospital and is expected to be charged with OWI.
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