Two Police Vehicles Struck While Responding to Calls for Service in Overnight Hours

For Immediate Release: Friday, January 19, 2024

Gaithersburg, MD – Two Montgomery Police cruisers were struck while responding to calls for service in the overnight hours of Thursday, January 18 into Friday, January 19, 2024.

On Thursday, January 18, at approximately 10:45 p.m., a 2nd District officer was responding to assist with a shooting call in the 3rd District, when he was rear-ended at the intersection of Georgia Ave. and Grace Church Rd.

The

driver of the striking vehicle fled the scene but was later found in the Montgomery Village Ave area. The adult female driver was arrested and is alleged to have been driving under the influence. The officer was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released.

On Friday, January 19, at approximately 12:39 a.m., a 3rd District officer responded to a call for a disabled vehicle in the area of Southbound Columbia Pike and Dustin Rd. The officer had her emergency lights activated and her vehicle was positioned to offer protection from oncoming traffic.

The officer and the driver of the disabled vehicle were outside of their cars, when the officer’s cruiser was hit by a motorist, driving a 2016 Kia Sorento, causing the cruiser to hit the officer and the driver of the disabled vehicle , who suffered minor injuries.

The officer was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and later released. The Montgomery County Department of Police urges drivers to slow down and move over for all vehicles stopped on the shoulder, especially first responders with activated emergency lights.

According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 56 officers were killed in traffic-related incidents in 2022. Of the 56 traffic-related fatalities, 35 were automobile crashes.