Annapolis Personal Injury Law Blog
Anyone who has driven on the Jones Falls Expressway in Baltimore will find it easy to imagine the kind of auto accident that recently sent a tow-truck driver over the edge of the guard rail and into the water. The breakdown lanes on that stretch of road are narrow, and it’s been noted that police officers are reluctant to stop vehicles there because of safety concerns.
Unfortunately, those concerns are well-founded, as a single-vehicle SUV accident led to a second collision and injuries to a police officer and the tow-truck driver.
The Baltimore City tow truck had shown up to remove the first SUV from the roadway, but a second SUV approached and hit the first one. A police officer on the scene was injured, and the tow-truck driver, who was outside of his vehicle at the time, was knocked over the highway’s guard wall. He reportedly fell 25 feet and landed on an island in Jones Falls.
Incidentally, the recent heavy rainfall has caused the falls to swell with runoff water. Police officers on the scene were able to get down to the injured man and tend to him until firefighters arrived. The rescuers then used a ladder and a stretcher to remove the victim, who was said to be conscious and speaking throughout the rescue.
The injured officer was also taken to a hospital to be treated for leg injuries. Neither victim’s injuries were thought to be life-threatening. Both parties will nonetheless want to be aware of their legal rights and responsibilities.
Source: The Baltimore Sun, “Police officer, tow truck driver injured in JFX accident,” Timothy B. Wheeler and Ian Duncan, June 8, 2013
