Not all high-speed chases end up with the police catching the bad guys without victims or damages, that much goes without saying. One Kent policeman was killed in the line of duty – incidentally, by another cop.
A high-speed chase started on State Route 516 after police were alerted that a suspect in an earlier shooting in a parking lot was traveling in a red pickup truck, Kiro7 reports. At one point, the pickup made a U-turn and started towards the pursuing police cars.
That’s when officer Diego Moreno got out of his car to deploy the spike strips that would puncture the tires on the suspect’s vehicle, so they could arrest him. He was hit by another police officer responding to the call, and killed on the spot.
The officer then crashed with his police cruiser into 3 other cars, causing minor injuries to bystanders. He was taken to the hospital with severe injuries, but as of this moment is believed to be on his way to a full recovery.
The pickup truck crashed and overturned later, on State Route 167, with sources close to the investigation telling the media outlet that one person was arrested.
In a statement to the media, Captain Road Mead made sure to stress that the full responsibility for Moreno’s death falls on the suspect, and not the officer who hit him with his car.
“Make no question about this, were it not for the actions of this suspect or suspects, this officer would be alive today,” Captain Mead says. “It's directly because of the suspect or suspect's actions that led to the officer's death.”
Moreno had an 8-year experience on the force and earned various distinctions, including 2 Lifesaving Awards and 2 Exceptional Duty Awards.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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