A Maryland state trooper is recovering at home after a driver hit his cruiser late Sunday night on I-95.
Despite a law to keep that from happening, state police said this is one of more than 20 similar crashes involving officers this year.
Christofe Taylor, 29, was driving the car that hit First Sgt. Robert Cummings. According to officers, Taylor didn't see Cummings' vehicle with the emergency light on, but officers saw something else that put Taylor behind bars.
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State police say highway safety requires drivers' full attention.
"These collisions have ranged from people just not paying attention, impaired drivers," Cpl. DaVaughn Parker, a spokesman with state police said.
Parker said Cummings was inside his car at the time of the crash.
"As a result of him striking the rear portion of First Sgt. Cummings, First Sgt. Cummings had to be medivaced to Baltimore City shock trauma where he sustained some injuries, but he was later released," Parker said.
Taylor told officers he didn't see Cummings' vehicle.
After investigators did their initial search, they found Taylor was driving with a suspended license and had marijuana and ecstasy on him.
"Driving on a suspended license is jailable and having the substances that he had on him are jailable as well," Parker said.
Police say if you see a car stalled on the side of the road or if you see a squad car or emergency vehicle with lights on -- move over or slow down.
Parker says Cummings was lucky, but is asking drivers to be extra careful and pay extra attention.
Investigators aren't sure if drugs played a part in the crash. Taylor is charged CDS possession, marijuana possession, and driving with a suspended license.
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