Three Cops, Three Cop Cars, Three Crashes

Skinnier Than Most Prisoners

Police cars need to have a way to be able to roll down the back windows of their squad cars to provide ventilation while preventing any suspect from escaping through the open window. In our fair city, they address this need by placing a metal plate horizontally across the rear window. It is placed so the window can be lowered to let air pass above and below the plate but not allow a suspect to escape.

One night, I took care of someone who challenged this time-tested system of keeping captives from jumping out of the police car window. An officer was driving down the street with a man in the back seat. The suspect was so skinny, he crawled out of the back window, squeezing over the plate and falling out of the moving police car. As the officer realized his charge was squeezing his way to freedom, he freaked out and crashed his car. Both men came in by ambulance. The suspect had minor injuries from hitting the ground. The officer had to be treated for injuries suffered in the crash.

Three for the Price of One

A 30-year-old drunk driver ran into the back of a parked police car. This drove the police car forward, striking down the officer who, was standing in front of his car, and a pedestrian he was ticketing. The driver, the police officer and the pedestrian were all injured and came by ambulance for treatment in the emergency department.

Hold on Tight!

A 31-year-old undercover police officer pulled over a car driven by a suspect. He reached in through the open window and grabbed the driver, who then started to drive away. The officer was pulled off his feet and dragged away by the moving car. He finally managed to get a hold of the steering wheel and directed the car off the road where it ran into a hedge and came to a stop. Officer and suspect were both brought in by ambulance. The suspect was uninjured and the officer was discharged with bruises and scrapes.