KENTUCKY TROOPER'S CONDITION IMPROVING

A Kentucky state trooper -- who was injured late Saturday night after being struck by a vehicle whose driver was allegedly trying to outrun another state trooper -- was listed in satisfactory condition on Monday.

A Bowling Green man is in custody in connection with the collision.

According to Public Information Officer Joe Woo with Post 16 in Henderson, the injured trooper, Matt Wise "is doing better but in a lot of pain. He was moved from the intensive care unit to a private room on Sunday" at Owensboro Mercy Health System.

Wise was injured late Saturday night when a van struck him as he was standing behind a cruiser in a median along the Natcher Parkway.

The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. when Trooper Chris McKee was in pursuit of a van -- whose driver was throwing things out of the vehicle as it traveled northbound on the Natcher Parkway, the state police said.

Troopers Wise and Jon Whittaker stopped their cruisers in the grassy median on the Natcher Parkway -- with emergency lights activated -- got out of the cruisers, and Whittaker deployed a stop stick, officials said.

The troopers were standing behind one of the cruisers, when the van -- driven by a man later identified as Eric P. Johnson, 38, -- drove between the two cruisers, hit Whittaker's cruiser on the passenger side, narrowly missed Whittaker and then struck Wise, state police said.

Wise was thrown about 60 feet, officials said.

The van stopped in the grassy median, and Johnson allegedly tried to run from the scene. McKee, still in pursuit, chased Johnson and apprehended him, authorities said. Johnson was treated and released from Owensboro Mercy Health System. He was charged with first-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment, resisting arrest, first-degree fleeing/evading police, first-degree criminal mischief and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. He was also served an outstanding warrant from Hardin County for possession of a synthetic narcotic. Johnson was lodged at the Daviess County Detention Center.