Chief: Injured Cops Likely to Miss Some Work

Police Chief Robert Barry said Thursday afternoon that the two officers injured when they were hit by a car while working a road detail may be out of work "for a little while."

Barry said Sgt. Cori Casey and Master Patrol Officer Eric Crane have both been released from the hospital, but are "still in the assessment and diagnosis phase." Until the extent of the injuries are determined, he said it's hard to know how much work they'll miss.

"I think both will be out of work for a little while," he said.

Still, Barry said Casey and Crane were lucky their injuries weren't worse.

"I would say they are extremely fortunate today," he said.

Barry said Casey is a 14-year veteran of the Concord Police Department, while Crane has been with the department for 13 years.

Casey and Crane were injured while working a road detail for overnight water main work being conducted on Loudon Road near East Side Drive on Wednesday around 10:50 p.m.

William Soler, 35, of Concord, was driving east on Loudon Road in a 1997 Geo Metro when he swerved to the right into the closed lane, sideswiping a stationary Concord Police cruiser and hitting the two officers, according to police. A third officer working the detail was uninjured. Soler told police he accidentally spilled hot coffee on himself, causing him to panic and step on the accelerator.

There were no obvious signs of impairment, and Soler was not arrested at the scene, police said, although charges could still be filed following the completion of the investigation.