Pennsylvania: Fire police officer hit by car while directing traffic

A car accident in Lehigh County became more serious Monday night, when a man directing traffic was struck by a car. Ryan Kramer, a 35-year-old volunteer Whitehall Township fire police officer, was struck near MacArthur Road and Center Street around 6 p.m., according to investigators.

"We were dispatched for a motor vehicle accident with a spill. The fire police went out to direct traffic," said Chief David Nelson, Whitehall Township Fire Department. "A vehicle wasn't paying attention, went around, and struck one of our fire police officers, injuring him severely."

Kramer, who has been with the department for 19 years, is recovering from multiple injuries. "A head injury, pelvis injury. Broke a rib and injured some internal organs," Nelson said. Kramer was last reported to be in critical condition at a Lehigh Valley Health Network hospital. The driver who hit the Whitehall Township man was distracted, according to Nelson, who said it's a problem his department has seen before.

"Unfortunately, the job we do, a lot of times, you see the red lights and stop paying attention to the road, start veering off and paying attention to what's going on," Nelson said.

Investigators said the driver of the car that struck Kramer stopped and is cooperating.