EPPD Officer Ticketed After Crash

Derek Shore-KFOX News Reporter
KFOX El Paso
Jun. 28, 2010

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso police said one of their officers has been cited after causing a three-car crash in his patrol car.

Police officials said the more than 20-year veteran officer was distracted because he was looking at his department-issued onboard computer. The officer did not see the cars stopping in front of him, officials said.

The crash happened on Copia Street near Bisbee Avenue. The officer was not injured, but the drivers of the other two cars were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries.

“Why he was looking at [the computer], I don't know. The dinger went off, I don't know if the dinger was for him, but it can be a distraction," said Darrel Petry, a police spokesman. “I want to say for the millions of miles the police department drives throughout the year and the number of collisions that we're in, where that's the distraction or the contributing factor are minimal."

Petry said officers are allowed to look at the computer, but they are trained to pull off the road if they need to operate it.

It is unclear if the officer will face any disciplinary action for the crash, however he was given a traffic citation for failing to maintain speed, Petry said.

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