A Gwinnett County police officer working a five-car crash on I-85 on Thursday evening was injured after a suspected drunken driver crashed into her patrol vehicle, authorities said.
Randy Vanallen Cooley, 35, of Suwanee, was arrested at the scene of the second crash, which occurred around 9 p.m. in the southbound lanes just north of the Pleasant Hill Road exit, according to Gwinnett police. The officer, who was not publicly identified, was hospitalized with a head injury and is expected to recover.
Both vehicles were disabled after the crash and Cooley, who was driving a pickup truck, was uninjured. He is facing several charges, including driving under the influence.
The officer was hit while blocking traffic for the previous multi-vehicle wreck. She was inside her patrol car in the lane next to the HOV lane with her blue lights on, police said. Both lanes were shut down when Cooley allegedly drove into the back of her vehicle.
Other vehicles at the scene of the crash included two patrol cars, two tow trucks and a Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division officer. They all had emergency lights on when the officer was injured, according to authorities.
“Thankfully, none of the drivers involved in the original accident, other officers, or tow truck drivers were injured,” police said.
Cooley was booked into the Gwinnett jail on charges of driving under the influence, possession of an open alcohol container, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, driving without a valid license, following too close, and failure to register a vehicle in Georgia, according to jail records.
“Do not drink and drive and obey move-over laws,” police added. “This accident could have been so much worse.”
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