Sonora Police Officer Injured In Collision With SUV
Sonora, CA– A Sonora Police Department officer sustained a minor head injury during a collision with a silver Toyota SUV on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred at approximately 4:10 p.m. on Highway 49, just north of Shaws Flats Road.
Officer Watson, driving northbound on 49, found himself directly in front of the silver Toyota SUV. Sensing the need for urgency, Officer Watson promptly activated his Code 3 emergency lights, indicating the need for other motorists to yield. After illuminating his lights for approximately 5 seconds, Officer Watson initiated a U-turn maneuver by moving to the right-hand portion of the roadway.
The driver of the SUV failed to respond to the emergency lights, assuming that the patrol vehicle was simply pulling over to the right shoulder. As Officer Watson steered to the left to complete the U-turn, the right front of the SUV collided with the left driver’s door of the patrol vehicle.
The impact resulted in moderate damage to the patrol vehicle, while the SUV suffered only minor damage. Immediately following the collision, Officer Watson was transported by ambulance to Adventist Health Sonora for treatment of a minor head injury, specifically an injury to his left ear.
