GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Johns Creek police officer is recovering after police say a drunk driver crashed into his patrol car Saturday night.
Authorities say the incident happened along State Bridge Road near the Duluth line.
According to the incident report, Officer Michael Lencrerot pulled a woman over for suspected DUI. After she failed a field sobriety test, he was set to take her off to jail.
At that point, police say a man crashed into the back of one car, causing a chain-reaction wreck.
Dash-cam video obtained by Channel 2 Action News shows Officer Lencrerot and the suspect in the back of his car suddenly fly forward.
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“Another driver came along and rear-ended the patrol car, knocking it into the second patrol car where the offender and officer were located,” Captain Chris Byers said.
Police say the man who struck the car was also driving under the influence.
“This is definitely something we have to take into consideration every time we get out of our patrol cars,” Byers said.
According to Byers, Lencrerot suffered some minor injuries.
“He’s doing OK. He’s banged up and shook up, as to be expected. But he was doing OK from what I saw on the scene. He was treated and released,” Byers said.
Police took the other DUI suspect, 27-year-old Chelsea Fletcher, to the hospital. She was later released on her DUI and speeding charges.
She said she’s doing OK.
“There are so many other options out there to not do this,” Byers said. “This is something that should not still be occurring with the frequency that it is.”
Duluth police have charged the other drunk-driving suspect and are investigating that aspect of the case.