TRUCK PLOWS INTO TWO COLORADO TROOPERS AS THEY HELP MOTORIST

A Colorado State Patrol trooper suffered critical injuries and another was seriously injured Thursday when they were hit by a pickup truck on Interstate 76 northwest of Denver. Both were in the median helping a motorist reload one of two plastic farm water tanks that had fallen off of a flatbed trailer when a green Ford F-150 drifted off the eastbound lanes into the median, patrol spokesman Master Trooper Ron Watkins said.

Terence Rice was pulling two large, white water tanks on a trailer and was having a problem with its load and had pulled off to the center median.

The troopers stopped, activated their lights, and were in the median, helping to sure the load when a second truck drifted into them, investigators said.

"I heard a tire screech, a big bang and the two officers I found lying under a pick-up," Rice said. Rice said he was, "very grateful for the two officers who were helping me. I hope that they make full recoveries." "They didn't deserve what happened. They were being very friendly and very helpful," Rice said.

It's not known why the driver of the F-150 drifted off the road. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Rice said he heard the driver of the F-150 say, "'Oh God. I'm sorry.' Or something of that nature." "To tell you the truth, I feel a little bit guilty about it," Rice said. "These troopers did have their lights activated. We encourage drivers to look down the road and be aware of these emergency responders conducting their day-to-day duties on state highways," Mares said.