State Police Work To Protect Roadside Troopers

02:19

July 22, 2010

State Police on Thursday displayed Trooper Corey Rose's totaled cruiser. He was struck by an allegedly drunk driver while pulled over on Route 24 in Taunton last weekend. (Curt Nickisch/WBUR)

It has been a bad summer for Massachusetts state police officers patrolling our roads.

First, in the wee hours of July Fourth, Trooper Sean McGarry got sideswiped in the breakdown lane on Route 128 in Peabody. Fewer than 24 hours later, Capt. Frank Hughes was injured while directing fireworks traffic in Cambridge. Two weeks later, Sgt. Douglas Weddleton was struck and killed in the breakdown lane of I-95 in Mansfield.

In total, five officers have been hit in the last six weeks. All of the incidents were between the hours of midnight and 2:30 a.m., and at least four of the five drivers who caused the accidents were allegedly drunk.

State police have been developing new recommendations to curb this troubling trend. We check in with our reporter in Framingham.

Hubbub: State Could Do More To Protect Staties
Hubbub: More On Trooper Safety

Guest:

Curt Nickish, business and technology reporter, WBUR

This program aired on July 22, 2010.