A Virginia state trooper is recovering after being injured in a crash involving impaired drivers on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County. The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Tuesday when Trooper C. Aziz responded to a sedan stopped in the northbound lane of the highway.
The driver of the sedan was uncooperative and refused to exit the vehicle or move to a safer location despite the trooper's requests. While Trooper Aziz was dealing with the sedan driver, a Jeep Cherokee collided with a tractor-trailer that was stopped due to the sedan blocking the travel lane.
The impact of the collision caused the tractor-trailer to spin around and strike the trooper's patrol car, which then hit the sedan and the trooper standing outside the driver-side door. Fortunately, dashcam footage captured the incident, showing the severity of the crash.
Despite the violent collision, the trooper sustained only minor injuries and was taken to Fairfax Hospital for evaluation. The driver of the Jeep, identified as Joanna Hatch, 35, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, the driver of the sedan, Erica Bernard, 43, was also arrested on multiple charges including driving under the influence of drugs, obstruction, possession of a controlled substance, refusal of a breathalyzer/blood test, and improperly stopping a vehicle on a highway.
Both Hatch and Bernard were taken into custody and transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of following law enforcement instructions during traffic stops to ensure the safety of all individuals on the road.
