State Trooper Hurt After Cruiser Was Struck In East Hartford: Police

EAST HARTFORD, CT — A local man was cited by police for hitting a stopped Connecticut State Police vehicle late Monday night in East Hartford, a crash that sent the trooper to the hospital.

According to Connecticut State Police, Pablo Rodriguez Gonzalez, 60, of Silver Lane, East Hartford, was cited for failure to move over in connection with the incident.

The incident resulted in a police vehicle being hit and the trooper inside suffering injuries.

According to an accident report released by state police Tuesday afternoon, Gonzalez was driving a 2001 GMC Savana van at 11:29 p.m. on Interstate 84 East in East Hartford.

That is when a trooper assigned to Troop H- Hartford was on scene with a single vehicle accident on I-84 eastbound near Exit 56 in East Hartford.

The vehicle was disabled and partially obstructing the right travel lane, police said.

Due to this, the trooper was positioned behind the disabled vehicle in the right lane with the emergency lights activated, according to state police.

Police said a wrecker was on the scene to tow the vehicle. It was at this time that a passing vehicle failed to slow down and move over, according to the report.

The passing vehicle collided with the trooper's cruiser, and the trooper, who was sitting inside, sustained injuries as a result of the accident, police said.

The trooper was transported to an area hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The on-scene investigation determined Gonzalez was not under the influence of alcohol/drugs at the time of the accident, police said.

As a result, he was issued an infraction for failure to slow down/move over for stationary emergency vehicles.

Both vehicles were later driven from the scene, police said.

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