Mpls. police officer hit by drunk driver
A Minneapolis police sergeant is recovering after being struck by a drunk driver outside the department's Fifth Precinct headquarters on Thursday morning.
The driver had a blood-alcohol level of .248, more than three times the legal limit, when his car hit Sgt. Rena Dudgeon.
Dudgeon suffered bruises to the right side of her body. She was treated and released from Hennepin County Medical Center on Thursday.
Police say the suspect, a 22-year-old Maple Grove man, continued driving for another block before being stopped by police officers.
The man is being held in Hennepin County Jail pending criminal charges.
Sgt. William Palmer, spokesman for the Minneapolis Police Department, said instances of police officers being hit on the street by drunk drivers are relatively rare.
Palmer said the last incident he recalls occurred in 1997, when an officer lost his leg after being hit by a drunk driver.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.