A Colorado State Patrol (CSP) trooper narrowly escaped a disaster while he was performing a traffic stop in Denver, and it was all caught on camera.
CSP Master Trooper Travis Hood pulled over a 2010 Kia sedan the morning of February 15 near northbound Interstate 25 and 58th Avenue, according to FOX 31. Dashcam video from Hood's motorcycle shows him walking back to the vehicle to write up a citation.
That's when a 2008 Dodge minivan suddenly slammed into the rear side of the Kia, pushing the Kia into the barrier. The Dodge skids out into traffic after making impact. The trooper quickly comes on camera again, trotting to the vehicles to check on the occupants.
CSP says Hood immediately called for assistance and provided aid. The driver of the Kia got rushed to the hospital with moderate injuries, according to the agency. The driver of the Dodge got minor injuries, while one of the two passengers in the car got moderate injuries, officials added.
The Dodge driver, who was identified as a 20-year-old woman, also got cited for careless driving causing injury, according to CSP.
"Sadly incidents like these happen with incredible frequency and we are fortunate that a bigger tragedy didn’t play out yesterday on I-25," Colonel Matthew Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol says. "We are sharing this footage because it underscores the responsibility of drivers to move over and pay attention behind the wheel. There is no excuse for driving past any stopped vehicle at this rate of speed.”
CSP sternly reminded motorists to follow Colorado's move-over laws, which states drivers approaching a stationary emergency, tow, or maintenance vehicle with flashing lights must move a lane over or reduce their speed.
"Move Over. Pay attention. Real lives are at risk, including yours. This could have been worse," officials say.