Police: HoCo Cruiser Hit by Suspected Drunk Driver

A Howard County police car with an officer inside was hit overnight by a suspected drunk driver, according to officials.

The crash occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. in Elkridge near the intersection of MD 175 at US 1, the Howard County Police Department reported.

Dilraj Singh, 26, of Burtonsville, was driving a 2013 Toyota 4runner in the 7300 block of Matchbox Alley when he hit a cruiser parked on the side of the road, according to the report.

The cruiser was pushed into another vehicle parked ahead of it, the report said. Nobody was in that vehicle, according to police.

The officer inside the cruiser, a 26-year veteran of law enforcement, was taken to Howard County General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police reported.

Singh was also taken to the hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to the report.

Authorities say that Singh was speeding and under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, based on preliminary investigation.

The 7300 block of Matchbox Alley was closed for 90 minutes for the investigation, according to police.

This was at least the fourth Howard County police cruiser hit this year.

In March, police said suspected drunk drivers hit police cars in separate incidents on US 29 and Washington Boulevard; and in February, a cruiser was hit on the shoulder of Old Columbia Pike by a woman later arrested for driving under the influence.