Upated Oct. 15, 4:07 p.m.
A Veteran Vernon Police officer escaped serious injury after his cruiser was hit head-on by a suspected unlicensed drunken driver early Thursday morning, according to a news release.
The driver, a Tolland resident, was to appear in court Thursday afternoon to face DUI, operating a motor vehicle without a license and failure to drive right charges, police said.
According to a news release, at 1:15 Thursday morning, Officer Richard Tedford was in his cruiser, stopped at a traffic light, facing north on Grove Street.
A car operated by Roberto Reinoso, 45, of 99 Old Kent Rd., Tolland, was on East Main Street at the same time, police said. According to a news release, Reinoso attempted to negotiate a tricky curve from East Main Street onto Grove Street and his vehicle crashed into the cruiser.
Other charges could be filed against Reinoso and he was held overnight on a $50,000 bond while awaiting the court appearance, police said.
The bond was reduced in court to $10,000, which Reinoso posted, and the case was continued until Dec. 13, a court clerk said.
Tedford has been on the job 10 years, according to a news release. He was treated and released at Rockville General Hospital for minor injuries, according to a news release.
Police said Reinoso's air bag deployed in the crash, but he refused medical treatment.
The crash is being investigated by officers from Metro Traffic Services, a regional consortium of police.
