New Jersey State Police have released new video of a violent crash that injured two state troopers in Atlantic County. The police body camera video shows the moment of impact from the troopers’ perspective.
The crash happened on April 13 around 11 a.m. at Black Horse Pike and Cherry Lane in Hamilton Township during a traffic stop.
The troopers were pulled off on the side of the road about a car length away from a dark GMC SUV that was pulled over in front.
As one of the troopers gets closer to the SUV, one can hear a horn blare as a Ford Escape hits the patrol car and spins in the opposite direction.
The trooper is seen pushing himself up off the ground. The other trooper remains on the ground, as calls are made to dispatch. Both troopers were taken to the hospital to be treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police say that the Escape was traveling east, toward Atlantic City. The driver was airlifted to Cooper University Hospital.
The owner of a nearby autobody shop tells News 12 New Jersey that this small, two-lane highway is often used as a shortcut to avoid the Atlantic City Expressway. He says that drivers are often going much faster than the speed limit.
The mechanic said that he did not hear any tires screeching during the crash, just a loud thud.
He says that he took in all three mangled vehicles after the crash. He says that he has seen worse crashes on the roadway. He says that a week after this incident, he saw a car crash into a firetruck.