April 03--KNOXVILLE -- Knoxville police continue to search for the driver involved in a near-collision on Interstate 40 that left two motorcycle officers injured today.
The Knoxville Police Department Officers Tim Edwards and James Cox both sustained nonlife-threatening injuries in the incident along I-40 West near the Pellissippi Parkway interchange about 11:30 a.m., according to KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk.
The two officers had just completed a traffic stop on the westbound lanes of I-40 near the Pellissippi Parkway interchange and were merging back into the travel lanes when the incident occurred.
DeBusk said the officers' emergency lights were activated as they attempted to merge into traffic about 11:30 a.m. When the officers saw a small gray or silver car coming at them at a high speed, "the officers took evasive action" to avoid the car, he said.
DeBusk said the officers laid their motorcycles on the pavement and the lead bike was struck by the one behind it. He said "there may have been contact" with the car and one motorcycle.
Edwards was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for treatment and evaluation, while Cox was taken to a local medical clinic with cuts and scratches, DeBusk said.
Police said the vehicle involved may have been a Honda. The driver could face charges of speeding and failure to obey the move-over law, DeBusk said.
Copyright 2012 - The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Tenn.
