CHP Officer Seriously Hurt By Flying Tire From Car Passing Crash

SAN DIEGO, CA — A California Highway Patrol officer suffered serious injuries Thursday when he was struck in the leg by a tire that flew off a car passing the scene of a crash involving a man suspected of drunken driving on Interstate 15 in the Serra Mesa area, officials said.

The initial crash happened shortly before 1:15 a.m. on southbound I-15 near Friars Road and involved a silver Dodge minivan and a white Infinity sedan, California Highway Patrol Officer Tommy Doerr said.

The driver of a 1991 Acura Integra was passing the crash scene traveling around 60 mph when the tire detached and struck an officer in the leg shortly after 1:45 a.m., Sanchez said.

The officer was transported to a hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries, Sanchez said.

The Acura driver remained at the scene and was cooperating with CHP officers, Doerr said.

No other injuries were reported.

A man driving the Infinity was arrested on suspicion of DUI, Doerr said.

CHP officers closed the right three lanes of southbound I-15 near Friars Road around 2:45 a.m., Doerr said. They were reopened shortly before 4:55 a.m.

CHP officers were investigating the incident.

— By City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone