Off-Duty Officer Struck by Car on I-15 in Escondido While Directing Traffic

ESCONDIDO, Calif.—An Escondido police officer was struck and knocked onto the hood of a Ford Focus on the shoulder of Interstate 15 as he was directing traffic around a stalled vehicle April 23.

The officer was off-duty on his way to work when the California Highway Patrol was notified of a hit-and-run at 10:27 a.m. Sunday on I-15 near Deer Springs Road, authorities said.

Traffic on the freeway had slowed because of a stalled vehicle on the shoulder and the officer got out of his vehicle to help direct traffic, the Escondido Police Department (EPD) said. The officer’s wife and children were inside the vehicle.

A red Ford Focus was trying to get around the slow traffic by driving on the shoulder when the vehicle hit the officer and knocked him onto the hood, according to the police department.

The officer received minor injuries, called EPD dispatch, and gave them the license number of the vehicle that struck him.

Police officers arrived at the scene and detained the driver of the Focus.

No other injuries were reported, and the highway patrol was investigating the incident.