Collision injures UAPD officer
A University of Arizona police officer was injured Friday after a vehicle turned into his motorcycle and propelled him onto the sidewalk.
Officer Bradwin Lichty was transported to University Medical Center where he was treated for a broken collarbone and a separated shoulder.
"He was treated and released that night in the emergency room," said UMC's on-duty nursing supervisor.
Lichty was heading west on North Ring Road and turned on his lights to pull over a Jeep for passing a car despite a double yellow line. The driver of a Buick suddenly made a left turn into a parking lot and struck Lichty, Tucson police reports stated.
When officers spoke with the driver of the Buick, his speech was slow and noticeably slurred, according to police reports.
Officers on the scene conducted field sobriety tests on the driver and gave him a breath analyzer. His blood alcohol level was .046, well below the state's legal limit of .100.
The driver was taking medication at the time in combination with alcohol, but "whether that constituted as a DUI, is still being investigated," said Tucson Police Department Sgt. Brett Klein.
"The suspect was not arrested pending further information due to the medications he was prescribed", according to police reports.
Tucson Police are handling the case in association with UAPD.
Another UAPD motorcycle officer was injured in September. Officer Craig Simpson was on his way to a traffic accident when he lost control of his motorcycle.
Simpson also suffered a separated shoulder and some cuts above his right eye.
UAPD Cmdr. Brian Seastone said the department is looking at its procedures to ensure the officers' safety.
"We look at each individual accident to see if we need to make any changes in our procedures and that is being conducted at this time," Seastone said.
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