Motorcycle officer injured in collision

No charges expected against other drivers involved.

Although the investigation into a Wednesday afternoon traffic accident involving two motorists and a Bremerton Police Department (BPD) motorcycle patrolman continued Thursday afternoon, at least one fact was already clear.

“It doesn’t look like there are going to be any charges filed on the two drivers who were involved,” said Washington State Patrol Trooper Krista Hedstrom, spokeswoman for the department. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”

Because the incident involved a BPD officer, the state patrol is the lead investigating agency into the incident, which caused more than $2,000 in damage to the three vehicles involved. The investigation was expected to be completed by yesterday afternoon.

According to the state patrol’s initial report, a 1995 Honda Accord driven by a 24-year-old Bremerton man was stopped on Sixth Street waiting to make a left turn onto Hewitt Avenue when a 2008 Toyota Rav4 driven by a 62-year-old Bremerton woman stopped behind him.

When the woman saw the BPD officer approaching from behind her, attempting to overtake another vehicle, the woman merged to the right. As she did, the officer attempted to pass between the two vehicles, striking them both before being ejected from his motorcycle.

The officer was transported to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton with minor injuries and was released later that evening.

The Rav4 sustained the most damage, estimated at $1,500. The BPD motorcycle sustained $500 in damage and the Accord’s damage was estimated at about $300.

Both cars were driven from the scene. The BPD motorcycle was removed from the scene by a private party.