A California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer survived an accident on Interstate 880 in Fremont Thursday morning. The officer was rear-ended on the interstate and was thrown roughly 100 feet, according to the CHP. The motorcycle accident occurred at roughly 7:00 a.m.
The motorcycle officer was escorting a big-rig carrying a wide-load when the accident occurred. A CHP officer in a patrol car was also a part of the big-rig escort. Despite the presence of the two CHP vehicles, a motorist reportedly struck the CHP motorcycle from behind on I-880 at the Decoto Road onramp in Fremont.
The force of the rear-end collision caused the officer to be ejected from the bike. Law enforcement says the van that rear-ended the motorcycle was traveling in excess of 60 miles per hour at the time of the crash. The motorcycle had just entered the first lane when the van struck the bike.
The morning collision could have been even more dangerous with morning traffic. The CHP says, however, that the ejected motorcyclist was able to get out of the way of oncoming traffic on his own power after the crash.
Authorities say the driver of the van stopped at the scene of the accident. The CHP closed the onramp and at least one lane of traffic where the motorcycle accident occurred for roughly one hour. Law enforcement released the driver of the van after questioning. The accident remains under investigation.
The injured CHP officer was transported to Washington Hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries.
Source: San Jose Mercury News, “CHP officer injured in crash on I-880 northbound in Fremont,” Harry Harris of the Oakland Tribune, Dec. 22, 2011
