A Boston police officer working a detail was seriously injured when they were struck by a truck in the North End on Thursday.
Boston police confirmed that an officer was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after a crash at 12:41 p.m. in the area of North Washington and Thacher streets near TD Garden.
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Paul McLaughlin, deputy superintendent of the police department's Criminal Investigations Division, said in an update around 2:30 p.m. that the officer, whose name has not been released, was working a paid detail, assisting a construction vehicle to cross from one side of the street to the other, when they were struck by the rear of the vehicle.
Other officers responded immediately and provided first aid, and the officer was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital. The officer suffered "serious injuries, but non-life-threatening," McLaughlin said. The exact nature of the officer's injuries was not immediately known.
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Photos from the scene showed multiple Boston police cruisers and a fire engine in the area. Yellow police tape was surrounding a white work truck.
McLaughlin said the investigation remains "very active," and it is too soon to say if the driver will face charges until any available video is reviewed and witnesses interviewed. He said the driver of the truck is cooperating with the investigation.
Moments before the crash, Scott Hartmann says he and his guide dog were about to cross Washington Street when the officer saw him and stopped the truck to allow Scott to pass.
"He stopped the truck," said Hartmann. "That's when the gate smashed him and hit him and knocked him unconscious."
Hartmann, who's legally blind, knew something terrible had just happened.
"When the back of the gate flung open, I interacted with the truck driver when he stopped," said Hartmann. "He jumped out of the truck. I said 'What are you doing?' He goes, 'It's all my fault, I forgot to latch the back of the truck.'"
Boston police said on Twitter that North Washington Street between Keaney Square and New Chardon Street was closed in both directions while police investigated. The road has since reopened to traffic.
