Crime & Safety

Driver Inches Away from Crash with State Trooper

State police video shows how close one trooper came to disaster.

Written by Roberto Scalese 

A state trooper in Boston's O'Neill Tunnel had a close call last week when an out-of-control driver nearly slammed into his cruiser. Now police are using video of the Oct. 7 incident to remind drivers about highway safety rules.

Though it's hard to see in the video police posted to Facebook, the two left highway lanes were closed to traffic. By state law, drivers are supposed to slow down and give wide berth to emergency and construction personnel. The black car in the video, however, was whipped down the highway and came within inches of sideswiping the police car. The close call must have spooked the driver, who lost control of the car and began to fishtail across all four lanes of traffic. 

State Trooper Jay Clement was not injured, and he quickly pulled the black car over. The driver was not drunk.

"It is heard all too often of police cruisers being struck. This video shows why it is so important to slow down in construction zones, and pay attention to the road construction signs. This incident was only inches from being something far worse," wrote State Police on the Facebook post.


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