Truck driver cited after striking parked patrol vehicle on New York interstate

Police are asking drivers to move over for emergency vehicles following a crash in Chemung County, New York, involving a police patrol vehicle and a semi truck.

The crash occurred shortly after 7 p.m. on December 27 in Big Flats, New York.

According to the Chemung County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), deputies were dispatched to I-86 near the the Steuben County line to assist with a single vehicle crash in the eastbound lane. The driver in that crash suffered a head injury and required transport to a hospital.

“Sheriff’s Deputy, Kaitlyn Fletcher, was parked at the rear of the accident scene and stopped partially on the shoulder of the roadway and the driving lane and had her directional signal activated to instruct all approaching traffic to move over to the passing lane. As Deputy Fletcher was preparing to exit her patrol vehicle, a semi-tractor trailer truck, operated by a Morris Reddout, and hauling milk, approached the accident scene but failed to move over. Because of this, the tractor trailer struck the driver side rear of the patrol vehicle sending the patrol vehicle off the south shoulder of the roadway and down the embankment causing extensive damage to both the patrol vehicle and the front of the tractor trailer,” CCSO said.

Deputy Fletcher was hospitalized with minor injuries.

No one else was hurt.

The New York State Police investigated the semi vs. police cruiser crash and cited Reddout for Failure to Yield for an Emergency Vehicle and other violations.

“We would like to remind all drivers of the Move Over Law and the importance of adhering to them,” CCSO said.