Queen Anne's County sheriff's deputy rear-ended during traffic stop
By: Stevensville, MD - A speeding, impaired driver rear-ended a Queen Anne's County sheriff's deputy's cruiser during a traffic stop, officials said.
The Queen Anne's County Sheriff's Office said the deputy was conducting a traffic stop on eastbound U.S. Route 50 near Romancoke Road in Stevensville around 11:19 p.m. on April 26 when his vehicle was struck.
The sheriff's office said a speeding car rear-ended the patrol vehicle while the deputy was seated inside. The impact of the crash propelled the patrol vehicle about 10 feet forward into the vehicle involved in the traffic stop.
The deputy was taken to a medical facility with minor injuries, the sheriff said.
The driver of the stopped vehicle, the sole occupant, did not suffer serious injuries.
The sheriff said deputies observed several indicators of impairment and detected a strong odor of alcohol on the breath of the striking vehicle's driver, who was identified as Christopher Teta, 35, of Stevensville. Teta agreed to perform field sobriety tests, which he failed to complete, the sheriff's office said.
Deputies charged Teta with driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, negligent driving, reckless driving, speeding and other traffic offenses.
"This serves as a stark reminder that impaired driving endangers everyone on the road, including law enforcement officers who are simply doing their jobs. This could have easily ended in unimaginable tragedy. Maryland's Move Over law exists to protect those who serve, and it must be taken seriously. Our deputies put themselves in harm’s way every day, but incidents like this are preventable when drivers make responsible choices," Queen Anne's County Sheriff Gary Hofmann said in a statement.
Both the patrol vehicle and the striking vehicle were rendered inoperable.