Motorcycle Officer Injured Along Route 51
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A police officer was injured in a motorcycle accident Thursday morning along Route 51 in Overbrook.
The officer was on traffic detail and parked off to the side of the road when he saw a car apparently run a red light.
KDKA's Paul Martino reports that witnesses said the officer had his lights and sirens flashing when he entered the intersection in pursuit. At the same time, a young woman who was driving a car – reportedly trying to make a legal turn – was unable to stop and hit the motorcycle.
The impact from the crash threw the officer from his motorcycle and he landed on the pavement.
"She clipped the front end of the bike, he went over the bike and landed 15-20 feet further down the road," said witness Lars Larson.
Motorcycle patrols regularly sit in this area, waiting for traffic violators.
"They're handing out tickets," said Larson. "I talked to one of the guys one day and I said, how many tickets do you have so far, and he said 47."
PennDOT says there are frequent accidents at the intersection of Routes 51 and 88.
The officer was banged up, but authorities say he was treated and released from the hospital Thursday afternoon.
The woman who struck his motorcycle was not injured, just shaken. According to police, she is not going to be charged.
PennDOT has ambitious plans to make this intersection much safer. This fall, they plan to begin a 15 million dollar project to realign the intersection of Routes 51 and 88.
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