NEW BALTIMORE, Mich. – An officer was struck by a suspected drunken driver while she was working a separate situation involving another driver alleged to be under the influence.
New Baltimore Police Officer Maria Lindstrom was working a case involving a woman who was spotted swerving all over the road behind the wheel of an SUV. The woman's two children were inside the vehicle, as was her spouse, who was also allegedly drunk.
The incident occurred on County Line Road near Hobarth Road. Officers were finishing up and a tow truck driver was working on towing the SUV away.
Lindstrom was blocking traffic with her squad car -- lights activated -- when a pickup truck driving 50 mph drove into her vehicle. It was captured on police dash cam. The squad car was totaled.
The back-end of the squad car struck the tow truck driver.
“I got out of my car and I saw him lying on the side of the road and I was thinking the worst, I was thinking he was dead,” Lindstrom said.
The tow truck driver was OK and so was Lindstorm, apart from the concussion she received.
The woman driving the pickup truck blew a .23, which is nearly three times the legal limit.
“I understand it’s the holidays,” Lindstrom said. “However, If you’re gonna be that bad and get behind the wheel intoxicated you’re affecting not only your life but everyone else’s, there are so many options -- something like this shouldn’t have happened.”