2 Nevada City police officers released from hospital after hit by suspected DUI driver
NEVADA CITY – Two Nevada City police officers at the scene of a crash were sent to the hospital early Sunday morning after they were hit by a suspected DUI driver, police said.
Around 12:30 a.m., two police officers responded to southbound Highway 49, just past Broad Street, after a bear was hit by a vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle stopped and was not injured, but the dead bear was blocking part of the highway. Police said the driver's vehicle was also heavily damaged and still on the highway.
As the officers were setting up flares for traffic control, a driver drove through the flares and hit the officers, police said.
An officer was able to call for help, eventually leading to them being rushed to the hospital, including one via an air ambulance.
The driver, 28-year-old Geoffery Rodgers, was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving under the influence, the Nevada City Police Department said.
"If that person had not been driving under the influence I have no doubt that our officers would not have been struck," Nevada City Police Chief Dan Foss said.
In an update Sunday afternoon, Foss said the two officers are doing well and are recovering at home.
He added that the vehicle was going between 25-30 mph when it hit the officers. Foss said Rodgers is accused of being behind the wheel with a blood alcohol level over .10%.