Calling it an “alarming trend,” Tucson police say alleged impaired drivers have struck squad cars during three separate traffic stops in the last several weeks.
In all three crashes, the squad cars had their emergency lights flashing and were on the being used to help direct traffic around crashes. No officers have been seriously injured.
In one crash, Troby Jose, 28, was driving a tan Chevy Tahoe east on East Fort Lowell when he struck emergency vehicles that were on the scene of a serious injury collision, according to an interim complaint filed in Pima County Justice Court.
“Normally, people slow down and avoid driving straight towards the emergency lights,” Tucson police said on a social media post. “However, impairment and inattention by these drivers have put our officers and community members at serious risk by colliding with our vehicles.”
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Jose allegedly struck a patrol vehicle which was positioned to block traffic, causing more than $3,000 in damage, according to the interim complaint. As Jose continued on, he nearly struck two other responding emergency vehicles, the complaint said.
Jose was arrested of suspected criminal damage and two counts of endangerment, court records show.
In a second incident, police arrested Fransisco Fuentes, 37, on June 29 for allegedly crashing into an occupied TPD squad car while police tended to an unrelated fatal crash, according to an interim complaint in Pima County Justice Court, Fuentes was driving East on 22nd Street when he “recklessly endangered” an officer who was in the squad car with its emergency lights running.
According to the complaint, Fuentes tried to leave the scene of the crash, but was detained. His BAC was .185, according to Tucson police.
Police said Fuentes’ license was suspended for DUI at the time of the June crash. He was arrested on suspicion of aggravated DUI and endangerment.
Details about a third crash have not been made public, because police say the driver has not been arrested. Police say charges could be filed after the driver is released from the hospital for injures suffered in the wreck.
