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WEST JORDAN — A West Jordan police officer conducting traffic control on a hit-and-run auto-pedestrian crash was hit himself early Thursday.
The wild series of events began about 12:30 a.m. when police received reports of a man acting strangely in the area of 8600 S. Redwood Road. When officers arrived, they said the man continued to act odd.
"He was covered in blood. He was acting irrational with them and being aggressive with them. A Taser was deployed and he was detained," said West Jordan Police Sgt. Joe Monson.
Investigators quickly determined the man, Ethan Roach, 21, had likely been involved in an auto-pedestrian crash nearby and the driver had left the scene, Monson said. Roach had "serious facial injuries," according to police.
Monson did not know if the irrational behavior was caused by the head injury or if the man was acting strangely prior to being injured. He was taken to a local hospital in serious condition.
While detectives were investigating that incident, an SUV broadsided a police car that was parked with its red-and-blue lights on. The patrol car was pushed into an officer standing outside the vehicle doing traffic control, causing him to go airborne, Monson said.
"I don't know why he didn't see the (patrol) car with the lights on," the sergeant said.
The officer, whose name was not released, was taken to a local hospital with a possible concussion, Monson said. He was last listed in good condition.
Charges against the 36-year-old driver of the SUV, Trenton Royer, who was not arrested Thursday, were pending.
Anyone with information about the hit-and-run can call police at 801-840-4000.
