SOUTH PORTLAND — A Cape Elizabeth woman is charged with driving drunk and leaving the scene of an accident after she hit the door of a police cruiser with its emergency lights on, then drove off, police said.
South Portland police say Officer Rocco Navarro had pulled over a car on Broadway near Scammon Street at 8 p.m. Wednesday and was just opening his door after checking the driver’s license and registration. Police say Elizabeth Hunt, 55, driving a Jeep Wrangler, hit the door, yanking it out of Navarro’s hand, pulled in front of the cruiser then veered left to avoid the stopped car and drove off.
She was pulled over a short time later by another officer. Navarro was checked out by rescue workers and was not injured, police said.
In 2010, Navarro had stopped his cruiser on the Casco Bay Bridge behind a disabled motorist when his cruiser was hit from behind by a man who was distracted by his cellphone, police say. He was out of work for months and had a lengthy and painful rehabilitation.
Police say it is a civil infraction to fail to move to the left when passing an emergency vehicle, punishable by a $250 fine.
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