I-90 Wreck Seriously Injures Trooper

BELLEVUE, WA - A state trooper was injured in a crash on I-90 Tuesday night, according to a Washington State Patrol report. Michael Patoc, 26, of Auburn, was helping the driver of a disabled vehicle on the side of the road when another vehicle traveling eastbound on the interstate changed lanes and struck Patoc's car. The rear of the patrol car was crushed and this caused it to crash into the disabled vehicle.

Patoc was thrown several feet from the force of the impact. He suffered serious injuries in the crash. He was treated and released from Overlake Medical Center.

The driver that struck Patoc's car, a 24-year-old Snoqualmie woman, said she saw the patrol car and emergency lights but did not realize the patrol car was stopped. She looked down to adjust her dash controls when she struck the patrol car at freeway speeds, according to Washington State Patrol.

The wreck occurred near 156th Avenue and reduced I-90 to a single lane while emergency crews cleared the scene.

According to Washington's "Move Over" law, drivers are required to proceed with caution in emergency zones. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Renton Patch, click here to find your local Washington Patch. Also, follow us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

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