Massachusetts State Trooper and K9 rushed to hospital in serious condition after cruiser hit on Route 495

A Massachusetts State Trooper and K9 partner were rushed to the hospital in serious condition Monday after a cruiser was hit on a Massachusetts highway.

According to the State Police Association of Massachusetts, on Monday afternoon, a State Police Trooper and K-9 partner, while stopped inside of their cruiser, were struck by a driver on the side of Interstate 495 southbound in Hopkinton while working a construction detail.

Both the Trooper and the K-9 partner were rushed by ambulance from the scene for medical attention. The State Trooper was transported by ambulance to UMass Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The K-9 was also transported by ambulance due to Nero’s Law, with serious injuries to Foster Hospital for Animals on Tufts Veterinary Campus. Both remain hospitalized in serious but stable condition as of Monday evening.

The vehicle that struck the marked cruiser was a 2020 Subaru Forester operated by an 81-year-old Connecticut man, who suffered minor injuries in the crash and was also transported to an area hospital.

The State Police Association of Massachusetts issued a statement.

“We thank the medical staff for their professionalism. The Association would like to thank everyone who responded to the scene and has worked to care for our injured member and our K-9. Our thoughts are with our member’s family, friends, and loved ones who are dealing with this difficult and scary situation.”

Association President Patrick McNamara said, “it is unbelievable and frankly unacceptable the number of avoidable cruiser strikes our members endure every year. We continue to call on the public to slow down and move over and we look to the legislature to improve the current move over laws to hold drivers accountable when they injure our members. The message today is simple, SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER enough is enough.”

The crash remains under investigation to determine whether the Subaru’s driver will face criminal charges. That investigation is being led by Troop C, with assistance from the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Section and Crime Scene Services Section.