Jan 2, 2008 2:29 pm US/Eastern
Owner Of Vehicle That Killed Officer Behind Bars
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
The owner of a vehicle that struck and killed a Maryland Transportation Authority police officer on New Year's Eve has been arrested on an unrelated drunken driving charge.
Kathryn Brown reports it happened Monday night as New Year's festivities were underway at the Inner Harbor.
Moments before midnight on New Year's Eve, veteran MDTA police officer Courtney Brooks was working his post along Interstate 95 when he was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle that kept on going.
"Officer Courtney Brooks died in the line of duty," said MDTA Police Chief Marcus Brown.
Investigators tell
Eyewitness News Brooks was stopping large trucks from entering Baltimore during the New Year's festivities posted along the I-95-395 split when an SUV veered through at least 30 flares and hit him.
"We had multiple witnesses stop and make contact with our police department. At that time, they were able to give a vehicle description and tag number from that vehicle," Brown said.
That information led police to a Ford Explorer, which was parked at a truck stop in North East with obvious damage to the front and windshield.
They arrested the owner on outstanding warrants not related to the hit-and-run.
"She is a person of interest. She is the owner of the vehicle and we're gonna continue to investigate that to determine if she was the driver," Brown said.
What happened is not the only incident involving vehicles hitting police officers; it's only the most recent.
A Louisiana State Trooper nearly lost his life after being mowed down by a speeding car. A Minnesota trooper was dragged by a drunk driver and in June of 2007, a Howard County police officer and a State Highway Administration worker were killed on duty within days of one another. Both were working on busy highways.
Investigators looking into Brooks' death are now reviewing tape from traffic cameras posted in the area and passing out flyers with the vehicle owner's picture on it, asking anyone who may have seen anything to call police.
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