THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 25, 1996 TAG: 9604250406
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
A police officer remains in the hospital with serious injuries after the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car Tuesday night at the Oceanfront
Officer Richard Dinapoli suffered two badly broken legs, a broken pelvis and several other injuries when a car turned in front of him, police said. The motorist was charged with drunken driving.
Dinapoli was traveling north on Pacific Avenue about 10 p.m. when the crash happened. Police said he had been dispatched to a fight and was using his lights and siren.
At Seventh Street, a 1996 Oldsmobile rental car suddenly turned in front of Dinapoli's Harley Davidson police motorcycle and the vehicles collided, police said. Both vehicles caught fire.
The driver of the car wasn't hurt, police said.
This is the second time in two years Dinapoli has been struck by a drunken driving suspect.
In April 1994, he badly hurt his knee when his police motorcycle collided with a car on Virginia Beach Boulevard near the Oceanfront. Police charged the driver of the car with drunken driving.
After surgery and several months of rehabilitation, Dinapoli returned to work. Earlier this month, the 35-year-old officer was given a departmental Blue Star Award for that injury.
In the Tuesday crash, police charged Glenn B. Smith, 36, of the 800 block of Elizabeth Court, with driving under the influence of alcohol. He was released from custody on a promise to return to court.
Police said they expect Dinapoli will be hospitalized for a considerable time. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Officer Richard Dinapoli remains in serious condition.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC VIRGINIA BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT by CNB