Driver Hits Dougco Deputy's Vehicle On I-25: 'Would Have Probably Killed Me'
CASTLE PINES, Colo., (CBS4) – A Douglas County Sheriff's deputy is safe after her cruiser was sideswiped while stopped on the side of the road. The crash happened Tuesday morning on northbound Interstate 25 near Castle Pines Parkway.
At the time, Deputy Tammy Bozarth was conducting a traffic stop on the side of the road.
"I'm very lucky. I'm very, very lucky,' Bozarth said.
According to Bozarth, the car stopped too close to the guardrail, so she couldn't go to the passenger side. Instead, she angled her vehicle to block the right lane, which deputies are trained to do.
"Fortunately, when I was getting ready to get out of my car, I looked to my mirror and a car was coming right at me," Bozarth said.
Combining her intuition and 16 years of experience in law enforcement, Bozarth decided to stay in the car and brace herself for impact.
"I saw it coming, so the whole vehicle just vibrated and vehicle debris went everywhere," she said.
While everyone was okay, the driver, who stayed on scene, was cited for careless driving and for violating the state's Move Over Law. It requires drivers slow down or move left one lane for emergency responders, tow trucks and maintenance vehicles.
Since 2017, the state has harshened penalties and repeatedly raised awareness for the law, following the deaths of several state troopers.
"It could be a life or death situation, and yesterday, if I wouldn't have looked out my mirror, I would have opened my door and she would have probably killed me," Bozarth said.
While Bozarth said she thinks drivers are getting better at following the law, Tuesday showed there's still work to do.
"It's part of our job, and we would just appreciate if the citizens would educate themselves on the law regarding that."
