A Virginia State Police trooper was slightly injured Monday afternoon when a motorist struck the officer’s cruiser from behind as he was assisting with traffic control in a highway work zone on state Route 288 in Chesterfield County.
The crash closed southbound 288 near U.S. 1 for about 80 minutes, state police said.
The wreck occurred shortly before 3 p.m. as Trooper J.M. Brown was sitting in his stationary police cruiser with his emergency lights activated in the work zone.
“He was stopped in the right lane as road crews were completing their work in the work zone,” said Sgt. Thomas Molnar, a state police spokesman. “The trooper was there to assist with traffic control and provide added safety and security to the work zone crews.”
The driver of a 2000 Jeep Liberty struck the trooper’s car in the rear as she attempted to exit onto U.S. 1, Molnar said.
Brown, who was wearing his safety belt, suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to VCU Medical Center in Richmond.
The Jeep driver, Dianna K. Gilmore, 55, of Glen Allen was assessed at the scene by emergency medical technicians but didn’t require hospitalization, Molnar said.
Gilmore, who was wearing a safety belt, was charged with reckless driving, Molnar said.
Both vehicles were declared a total loss.
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