Footage of an incident that took place earlier this week on Tuesday, showing the driver of a black SUV causing a collision with an oncoming vehicle near the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, has surfaced online.
The impact launched the black SUV into a stationary LAPD motorcycle officer, who was thrown off his bike and into a fountain. Thankfully, the officer was wearing his helmet and is reportedly recovering from a few broken bones, as reported by ABC7.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, the driver of the SUV was none other than Inglewood Mayor, James Butts, who proceeded into the intersection despite being at a red light. It’s a very good thing the officer wasn’t seriously hurt.
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“Motor officers’ helmets have improved so much now,” said law enforcement expert Bruce Thomas. “They are really ballistically designed to absorb impact like that because you may suffer broken bones, but the most serious part of any person’s body is the head and the brain.”
“He [Mayor Butts] knows to obey traffic, and he knows to obey the laws. In this case, if witnesses and video bears out, he is probably going to be party at fault,” added Thomas.
Meanwhile, the Mayor released the following statement:
“I am thankful the occupants of the other vehicle were uninjured. I am thankful that the Motorcycle Officer is expected to make a full recovery. He has been on my mind and heart since the accident. I was a Motorcycle officer with Inglewood Police and was hit twice by cars myself. It is a dangerous job. I was so grateful to see that he was alert and communicative at the scene. I pray for his speedy recovery.”
The other vehicle had a woman and her 4-year-old child onboard, both of which were reportedly unharmed, as stated above. Currently, this incident remains under investigation with the LAPD.