Paul Bass Photo
Officer McLawrence.
A city police officer assigned to an ATV-crackdown taskforce broke his leg after an ATV crashed into him in Fair Haven.
That officer-injuring crash took place on Sunday afternoon at around 2:30 at Ferry and Peck Streets, according to Police Chief Karl Jacobson.
Officer Daniel McLawrence was working at the time as part of a new regional taskforce focused on deterring illegal ATV and dirt bike riding. He was the only officer on the scene as he saw a group of roughly 20 ATV and dirt bike riders coming up the road, including several on the sidewalk.
“As he exits his cruiser to go to the ones that were on the sidewalk in an attempt to stop” them, Jacobson said, one of the ATVs “turned into him and hit his leg.” McLawrence was in the roadway at the time he was hit by the sidewalk-riding ATV, the police chief said.
Jacobson said police have not yet made any arrests or seized any vehicles stemming from that particular incident, but the “investigation is moving quickly forward. We have gotten some good tips.” He urged anyone with more information about the crash to reach out to the police, including by calling the anonymous tip-line at 866 – 888-TIPS (8477).
He also pointed out that the police department can and does give out $1,000 tickets, make arrests, and seize dirt bikes and ATVs in order to deter such dangerous and illegal city riding.
City police spokesperson Officer Christian Bruckhart told the Independent that McLawrence was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday and is currently home recuperating.