CHP car rolls onto 101, hit by truck.
CHP spokesman expresses embarrassment over the mishap and relief that the driver
was not seriously injured.
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
dhobbs@newspress.com
A California Highway Patrol officer accidentally caused a traffic collision
on Highway 101 while in the midst of investigating
another wreck.
The officer, whose name has not yet been
released, had parked his patrol unit on the southbound
shoulder of the freeway, just north of Ward Memorial
Boulevard in Goleta, so he could speak with the people involved a
non-injury collision that had just occurred.
"He got back in his car and proceeded to go
back toward a mile post to get some measurements," said
Officer Ray Schultz, CHP spokesman. "He got out of his
car and, unbeknownst to him, the vehicle was in
drive."
The driverless patrol unit rolled out into
the middle lane, where it was rammed by an oncoming truck.
"At the least, this is very embarrassing,"
Schultz said. "He had just gotten out of the vehicle and
probably didn't realize the car was in drive until he saw it actually
moving." David Perkins, 38, of Santa Barbara, was
driving his 1985 Chevy pickup when the patrol unit rolled out
onto the freeway. Apparently unable to avoid the
patrol unit, Perkins smashed into the back of it.
Perkins, who suffered minor injuries, was
taken transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where he
was kept overnight for observation.
The CHP officer was uninjured. The estimated
amount of damage caused to his car patrol unit was not
known, but Schultz said the state
will bear the costs.assume the damage.
And as for the officer? "He'll be held accountable just like anyone
else would be," Schultz said. "In fact, he'll be held to even
higher standards because we are in a traffic safety business
and we're out there reminding drivers to drive safe."
Once the investigation is complete, CHP authorities will determine whether to ticket the officer.
"With the officer's attention being diverted,
it did create a bit of a hazardous situation," Schultz said.
"Fortunately, it wasn't any worse and no one was seriously
injured."
