A Van Buren Township Police Officer, identified by bystanders as Ken Toney, had to be extricated from his patrol car by fire fighters with a Jaws of Life on Saturday morning, after he was broadsided by a pickup truck and pinned in his car.
Reportedly, at about 9:18 a.m. Officer Toney was exiting a drive in the 16000 block of Haggerty Road, south of Riggs Road, and was broadsided by a pickup truck.
The patrol car was pushed to the east side of the road and Toney had to be cut out of the wreckage. Fire fighters removed the driver’s door and then removed him through the driver’s side of the vehicle. He had been handling a police run in that area.
Public Safety Director Carl McClanahan, who did not wish to identify the officer involved until the accident report was complete, said the police cruiser was struck on the left side door area by a Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck that was traveling south on Haggerty.
Director McClanahan said the road surface was wet from an earlier light rain.
The officer sustained minor injuries and was conveyed to St. Joseph Hospital by Huron Valley Ambulance, where he was treated and released a few hours later.
The driver of the pickup refused medical treat at the scene, McClanahan said.
The police cruiser suffered heavy left-side damage and the pick-up truck had heavy front-end damage. Neither vehicle was drivable and both vehicles were removed from the scene by tow trucks, McClanahan said. Haggerty was closed at Bemis for about an hour.
Michigan State Police are investigating the accident and McClanahan said they expect the report later this week.
At Monday evening’s CCW class at VBT Fire Station #2, Officer Toney showed students the three staples in his head. He said the crash caused his head to hit the flashlight on the assault rifle in the car.
He said the scout car was new, with only 5,700 miles on it.