BRATENAHL, Ohio — The Ohio State Highway Patrol has released dashcam footage after an alleged drunk driver struck a police cruiser on Interstate 90 over the weekend.
The crash happened early Sunday, when a Bratenahl police officer was assisting at an unrelated issue on I-90 eastbound near Eddy Road. A bus was disabled in the right lane, and the officer parked his cruiser with its lights activated to divert traffic.
Sixty-one-year-old Vernon Wright is accused of crashing his 2005 Chevrolet Impala into the officer's cruiser.
Ohio State Highway Patrol dashcam video shows a trooper attempting to conduct field sobriety tests on Wright, who can be heard claiming he suffers from foot ailments.
At one point, Wright can also be heard asking the trooper, "What'd I do, though?"
The trooper replied, "Well, you hit a car," to which Wright responded, "I hit a car? A police car?"
Wright is charged with operating a vehicle under the influence, driving under suspension and failure to maintain assured clear distance.
The 42-year-old officer was treated and released from a local hospital with minor injuries.
On the small stretch of Interstate 90 that runs through Bratenahl, impaired drivers have struck police officers 4 times in six months, police say.
Bratenahl Police Sgt. Dominic Soric said fellow officers were hit while assisting disabled drivers in three of those four cases.
He said the small stretch of highway in the village is like the Bermuda triangle.
“It seems to be a popular area for vehicles to break down or be involved in a crash. It can’t be explained.”
Soric says drivers with car trouble should always pull over as far to the right as possible, even if your tire is flat or your muffler is dragging. It makes it safer for them and officers.
“Impaired drivers. It’s just constant. We are seeing it every night. Cell phones haven’t helped. We are seeing a lot of drivers distracted and impaired which is a recipe for disaster.”
The Ohio Highway Patrol data shows arrests for drunk driving and distracted driving have declined slightly in 2018 compared to this time last year.
But police say such drivers obviously still pose a danger them and to stranded motorists.
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