In any event, the driver's inability to pay attention caused his car to hit the cop.

The driver was probably on the cell phone or awstruck by the pretty red police lights to actually pay attention to the 1 ton machine he was in control of. That driver sould have hit any of us walking by.

I hope the cop is ok.

Quote:

Nope.
Marseles is one-way southbound. The northbound street alongside Ferris HS is Center St.

Quote:

The report doesn't say whether he was making a left turn or a right turn onto Merseles, it only says that he was in the right lane on Montgomery heading westbound before making the turn. It's entirely possible that he was making the right when he hit the cop (not that it makes things any better).

Quote:

Thanks for the update! So it was even worse than I thought, the turn was illegal to begin with. I haven't tried to do that turn for a very long time, I'm always heading for the tnpk. from Columbus anyway.

Quote:

agreed, but don't know about forever. Way to many incapable drivers on the streets.

???
What are you saying?
There is no left hand turn allowed onto Merseles from westbound Montgomery anymore. So traffic would not have been stopped in the left lane unless there was a red light.
So what this guy did was make an illegal turn from an illegal lane while running a red light. And he hit a cop.
Amazing.
The guy ought to lose his license forever.

From the report the driver thought he was cleverly going around the slow turning traffic in the left lane by turning left from the right lane. The only thing shocking is the cop being hit and the driver presumably being charged.

It's unfortunate but I guess that will finally get the JCPD's attention about all these dangerous drivers.

Cop hit by car, flips over hood

Friday, February 15, 2008
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A Jersey City cop was struck by a car and flipped over its hood while he directed traffic Wednesday at a Downtown intersection affected by flooding, reports said.

Officer Raymond Aponte was directing traffic at Montgomery and Merseles streets at 3:54 p.m. when he was hit by the 2001 Mazda driven by Christopher J. Kelleher, of Manchester, reports said.

Aponte was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center suffering from a leg cut and pain in his lower back and knee, reports said. Lt. Edgar Martinez said he was treated and released and has been taken off-duty due to the injuries.

A witness told police Kelleher was driving westbound in the right lane of Montgomery Street when he turned onto Merseles and struck Aponte, reports said. Aponte said the Mazda struck his right leg and he flipped over the hood and fell to the pavement, reports said.