A U.S. Secret Service motorcycle officer was critically injured after being struck by an SUV near the National Zoo on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
The crash happened around 6:04 a.m. at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Devonshire Place NW, according to DC News Now, which cited the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The officer was unconscious but breathing when medics arrived, D.C. police said.
Both the officer and the SUV's driver were taken to area hospitals.
A Secret Service spokesperson said in a statement that the officer "was critically injured in the crash and was rendered aid on scene," NBC Washington reported. The spokesperson later told NBC Washington that the officer's condition was improving.
The driver who struck the officer remained at the scene, police said. Authorities said the crash appeared to be a typical traffic collision, not anything targeting the Secret Service.
Road closures hit morning commute
AlertDC issued a traffic alert around 7 a.m. warning that the 3100 and 3200 blocks of Connecticut Avenue NW were closed between North Road and Macomb Street. The closure shut down both directions of Connecticut Avenue during the morning rush. Drivers were told to expect significant backups, NBC Washington reported.
NBC Washington's reporters at the scene described shards of glass, plastic and metal scattered across the roadway hours after the crash. The black SUV's driver-side door appeared crumpled inward, and its airbag had deployed. Connecticut Avenue reopened after multiple hours.
MPD leading investigation
MPD's Major Crash Investigation Unit is handling the case, according to NBC Washington. Neither MPD nor the Secret Service has publicly identified the officer or the SUV driver. No charges have been announced.
