A Colorado State Patrol trooper was hit by a BMW during a “combative” confrontation with a driver who fled a traffic stop on Interstate 76 in north metro Denver on Thursday morning, agency officials said.
Two troopers were on Interstate 76 in north Commerce City at 9:09 a.m. when the driver of a white BMW M235i did not yield to a stopped emergency vehicle.
One of the troopers pulled the BMW over, and the driver refused to leave the car and “became combative” before fleeing the scene.
Troopers tried to force the man out of the car and the driver then hit a trooper with his BMW as he fled the scene. One of the BMW’s windows was broken during the confrontation, state officials said.
The man fled eastbound on I-76 and took the southbound exit onto Sable Boulevard toward 104th Avenue.
The trooper who was hit tried to chase the BMW but crashed into the center concrete median because of road conditions and speed. He was taken to the hospital by ambulance with minor injuries.
The second trooper drove himself to the hospital as a precaution, the agency said. Both men were released from the hospital as of Thursday afternoon, are recovering at home and will return to full duty.
The BMW driver is still at large, CSP officials said.
