A Little Falls police officer involved in an overnight crash suffered a medical episode while driving, according to officials.
The crash happened just after 1 a.m. Thursday on Main Street in Little Falls. Officials say the officer was driving a Little Falls police cruiser when it left the roadway at a “high rate of speed” and struck a local business.
The New Jersey State PBA posted a picture of the Little Falls police vehicle, which was nearly destroyed early Thursday morning behind Mainline Pizzeria. This is believed to be where the crash ended. It appears to have started at the front of Schumacher Chevrolet, just a few hundred feet away, also on Main Street. Next door in the Mavis Discount Tire parking lot, a BMW was found crashed on top of the guardrail. The vehicle's owner stated that the car was unoccupied at the time of the crash.
News 12's Tony Caputo reports that he saw a video, which he was not allowed to share, showing the vehicle flipping from back to front after striking the BMW. Drone 12 footage shows the possible path the officer's vehicle may have taken after going airborne, revealing a broken utility pole, damage to the gutter at the Knights of Columbus and shattered fencing behind Mainline Pizzeria.
The officer was taken to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson to be treated for his injuries. Officials say he was on duty at the time of the incident.