Two law enforcement vehicles crashed in Tennessee on Friday night while supporting Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade, sending a police officer to the hospital in critical condition, authorities said.
The crash occurred in Maryville, about 17 miles south of Knoxville, and involved a state trooper and a Maryville Police Department motorcycle officer, the city stated.
One of the two ambulances accompanying the motorcade immediately stopped to provide rapid medical assistance, said Special Agent Jason Pack, director of communications for the Tennessee Department of Safety, in a statement to CBS News.
The officer is currently in critical condition, the city of Maryville reported on social media. No further details were immediately available.
“We ask everyone to keep the officer, family, and the medical staff in your prayers,” said Maryville Police Department Chief Tony Crisp.
Initially, Pack mentioned that the trooper was not transported, but the city of Maryville later confirmed that both the trooper and the police officer were taken to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. There is no information yet available about the trooper’s condition.
The identities of the officer and the trooper have not been released.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating the incident, according to Pack.
Katherine Pierce, the U.S. Secret Service’s resident agent in charge in Knoxville, said the agency is closely monitoring the situation. “The safety and movement of our protectees were not impacted by this incident,” Pierce added in a statement.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vice-presidential-motorcade-crash-maryville-tennessee-jd-vance/
