Michigan: Dash cam video shows 2 police officers struck by car
Two police officers were taking information from motorists involved in side-by-side collisions on an icy section of Howard Street early Sunday morning, when another car slammed into the mess. The officers were struck by vehicles involved in that third crash, caused by a man authorities suspect was drunk.
Kalamazoo Public Safety Officers Ondreya Townsend and Marcel Behnen were injured in that final collision, which occurred shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday in the 600 block of Howard Street. That slightly-curved, down-hill section of road is just north of Michigan Avenue, just west of the Western Michigan University campus, and heavily traveled by college students.
Townsend and Behnen had just responded to the location where a cluster of cars were involved in two crashes and still in the roadway. Officer Townsend suffered a head injury in the ensuing incident and was rushed to Bronson Methodist Hospital. Behnen sustained a back injury.
Both were recuperating at their homes on Thursday, Deputy Chief Donald Webster said.
He said both are expected to fully recover and return to their jobs.
A dash cam mounted inside the front windshield of Townsend's patrol car shows the officers carefully walking on ice-slickened Howard Street, then listening to people involved in one crash before heading to the side and rear of the patrol car to start taking information from those involved in another collision.
None of those motorists sustained significant injuries according to police.
In front of the patrol car, one man is asking another what happened to his vehicle when the dash cam shows the police vehicle being violently jolted from the rear. Behnen, who appeared to be knocked to the ground, scrambles to his feet and rushes to Townsend's aid, just outside the viewing range of the camera.
He can be seen because the force of the impact spins the patrol car almost completely around.
Behren stays with Townsend, repeatedly calling her name, until another officer responds to the scene. During the interim moments, he orders the driver who caused the third crash to stay in his vehicle.
That man can also be seen because of the way the patrol car has turned. That driver opens his car door, leans out from behind a deployed airbag and appears to spit or vomit before he heeds Behnen's order and closes the door.
Officers said that driver is age 22, but they did not disclose his name or place of residence Thursday. He was initially being held in the Kalamazoo County Jail, pending possible charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and driving on an expired license.
Webster said he expected an investigation of the incident to be completed this week.
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