Trooper injured in traffic stop

A state trooper was hospitalized overnight after his cruiser was struck by another vehicle during a traffic stop early yesterday on Interstate 64 in Goochland County.

Trooper Steven P. Scalfani is expected to recover and could be released from VCU Medical Center today, said Sgt. Thomas Molnar, a police spokesman.

Scalfani was inside his police cruiser writing a traffic summons when a car slammed into his car and the car he had stopped, Molnar said. The wreck occurred about 12:15 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-64 near the Oilville exit.

Scalfani was airlifted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Mario Davis, 47, of Highland Springs also was injured and taken to VCU Medical Center. He, too, is expected to recover, Molnar said.

Davis was charged with reckless driving and failing to move over under a Virginia law that requires drivers in the lane closest to an emergency response to slow down, and if they can safely do so, change lanes, Molnar said. He is scheduled to appear Dec. 21 in Goochland General District Court.

-- Mark Bowes