'I'm Glad I Didn't Die': Atlanta Officer Still Recovering from Roadside Crash
An Atlanta police officer continues to recover after his patrol car was struck by a suspected drunken driver over the summer.
Despite his injuries, Officer Duc Vo is just thankful he's still alive.
“I was scared, but I am glad I made it through," he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The incident happened June 5 as Officer Duc Vo was trying to help a stranded motorist along Interstate 20. A car that failed to change lanes as it sped down the highway crashed into the back of Vo's cruiser, knocking the officer to ground and destroying the unit.
“I was praying to God that the car that was driving toward my lane would move,” Vo said during a news conference Tuesday to call attention to Georgia's Move Over Law, according to WGCL-TV.
The harrowing incident was caught on Vo's body camera, and the footage captured the violent nature of the impact.
“She just rear-ended my car. My car flew toward me, and next thing I know, I was rolling on the ground," he added. "I was like, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening to me?' I’m glad I didn’t die."
After he was struck by the sedan, Vo got to his feet and discovered that his belt radio was gone, the Journal-Constitution reports. He then was taken to the hospital for treatment.
“I could barely move my left leg,” Vo said. “My right arm … wasn’t moving at all. My stomach was in pain.”
The driver of the sedan was arrested, and she faces multiple charges, including driving under the influence and failure to yield to law enforcement on the road. According to police records, the driver said she didn't see the police cruiser or the stranded vehicle.
Vo, who is still in physical therapy, is currently on light duty with the department. He's not sure when he'll be able to return to full duty, but he isn't planning on leaving the force.
