CHARLOTTE, N.C. --
A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was injured Tuesday in a head-on crash along Steele Creek Road, near Brown Grier Road.
Officer Jim Guard was heading south on Steele Creek Road, toward Westinghouse Boulevard, around 2:15 p.m. when the crash happened, CMPD said.
A witness told police the driver of a Jeep Liberty was heading north on Steele Creek and crossed over the double yellow line, colliding head-on with Guard’s patrol car. The witness, who was driving behind Guard when the crash happened, said the Jeep driver crossed the center line right in front of Steele Oaks Drive.
The stretch of road is one lane in each direction, divided by a double yellow line.
Guard and the driver of the SUV, whose name has not been released, were seriously injured. Rescue crews had to pull Guard from his car, and he was then airlifted to Carolinas Medical Center.
The SUV driver was taken to CMC by an ambulance.
Guard has been with CMPD since 1989.
Truck driver Steve Woody, a former first responder himself, was one of the first on the scene.
Woody said, "I worked scenes that weren't near as bad and they didn't survive. And so both drivers are very lucky to be alive."
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