He was one of several who have been injured working road construction sites.
Frederick, Md (KM) It’s a trend that has Maryland State Police and other law enforcement agencies concerned.
Early Thursday morning at 2:00, Master Trooper David Greenwood, whose assigned to the State Police Barrack in Frederick, was struck while in his cruiser at a construction site at Route 15 and Monocacy Boulevard. Greenwood was assisting with a lane closure. “He was in a marked State Police vehicle. He had his emergency lights activated. The construction zone was marked off with lights and cones and other items,” says State Police spokesman Greg Shipley. “But for an unknown reason at this time, a vehicle drove into that construction zone and struck the passenger side of the patrol car while Master Trooper Greenwood was inside.”
Greenwood was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released. The operator of the striking vehicle, Steven Keyser, 35 of Frederick, was not hurt, State Police say. There’s no word on whether Keyser will be charged.
Shipley says this is part of a trend of police officers working traffic control at road construction sites being hit by motor vehicles. “We had another Frederick Barrack trooper in a similar situation struck just two days before that at two-o’clock in the morning. In between those, we had a Transportation Authority Police down on I-95 who was in a construction zone behind a State Police car at another crash scene who was struck by a vehicle who drove into this construction area,” says Shipley.
That Transportation Authority Officer was not seriously hurt, according to authorities.
State Police say 12 troopers have been struck while working on the Capitol Beltway. Authorities says police officers put their lives at risk for drivers who travel through construction zones. “These areas are very well lit. There very well marked. And for reasons that continue to confound us, people are driving into these scenes and striking our police cars,” Shipley says.
“Some of them are impaired; not all. Some are distracted. And some we can’t explain why they’re driving in there,” he says.
State Police remind motorists to take it slow when approaching road construction sites, and obey all detours. They also remind motorists about Maryland’s Move Over law. If drivers come upon a police car, fire truck, ambulance or tow truck parked along the shoulder of a highway, they need to move into the adjacent lane, if it’s possible. If they can’t, they need to slow down. “And this is simply for the safety of the police officers and fire, EMS and tow service operators who are out there on the shoulder of the road working to keep our state safe,” says Shipley.
He says violators of the Move-Over law could face a $100 fine for a first offense and one point on their licenses.
Shipley says it’s important to be safe when approaching construction zones on highways. “Don’t drink and drive. Stay alert. Keep your eyes focused on what’s ahead, and don’t rubberneck when you’re going by one of these scene,” he says.
By Kevin McManus