THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 23, 1997 TAG: 9701230329
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: JEFFREY S. HAMPTON, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: 26 lines
A city police officer was injured when a van allegedly ran a red light, hit a passing vehicle, then smashed into his parked patrol car.
Elizabeth City police officer Gerald J. Couture had just finished helping stranded motorists push their car to the side of Halstead Boulevard about 6 p.m. Tuesday when his car was hit.
``The patrolman had just gotten in his car and closed the door,'' said witness Scott Mathis of Weeksville.
Yoshie Griffin of Elizabeth City was charged with running a red light, said Sgt. Ray Early of the Highway Patrol.
Early said Griffin was going north on Halstead Boulevard when the accident occurred. A red Buick driven by Jeffrey Lee of Elizabeth City hit Griffin's van, which then struck the patrol car in the left front fender.
``The lady thought she was being directed through the light,'' said Early.
Couture, Griffin and Lee were treated and released at Albemarle Hospital. Highway patrolman G.A. Smith was the investigating officer. Early was also on the scene.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC INJURIES