Update: Injury Crash Involving OSP Officer Who Struck Stroller

The injured child is in stable condition and expected to survive.

File photo by: Tim King

(JUNCTION CITY, Ore.) - The investigation into Friday evening's collision between an OSP patrol car and a stroller being pushed by a woman attempting to cross Highway 99 on the north end of Junction City is continuing.

OSP Lt. Greg Hastings says that at the request of the Oregon State Police, the Lane County Sheriff's Office is the lead investigating agency working in cooperation with the Lane County District Attorney's Office.

Friday at approximately 8:15 PM, OSP Recruit Trooper Clay Core was northbound in a marked OSP patrol car on Highway 99 at the north end of Junction City near where Highway 99E intersects with Highway 99W.

Recruit Trooper Core was enroute with overhead lights activated to a reported disorderly person on a Greyhound bus that had stopped on the southbound shoulder of Interstate 5 near milepost 208 about ten miles north of Eugene.

As Recruit Trooper Core was northbound a 17-year old female was pushing a stroller with her one-year old male child across the highway from the west side to the east side. Recruit Trooper Core's patrol car struck the stroller in the northbound lanes, seriously injuring the child.

Recruit Trooper Core stopped and immediately began to render aid to the injured child. The child's mother was not injured. Medical aid continued to be provided by him until personnel from Junction City Fire Department arrived and took over.

The child was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene for initial treatment before being transferred by air ambulance to Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland.

Hospital personnel advised Saturday morning that the child is in stable condition.

Witnesses have indicated to investigators that the OSP patrol car had its overhead lights activated and was not traveling through the area at a high rate of speed.

Recruit Core, age 24, has been a member of the Oregon State Police since May 2006 and is assigned to the Springfield Area Command office. He was not injured.

Lane County Deputy District Attorney Alex Gardner has not authorized release of the mother or child's names and advised no additional investigative details will be released until further investigation by the Lane County Sheriff's Office is completed.

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To all: Note mine earlier cites own experience with "5,000". Must apologize for inadvertent error showing extra-0...should be 500 ! You might misinterpret my wide experience with police otherwise !!

Thanks Editor/Matt/whoever

Comments from original story Published August 31st 2007 at 11:10 PM Oregon Trooper Strikes Stroller Carrying Small Child

Henry Ruark September 1, 2007 1:30 pm (Pacific time)
Neal et al: "Right on", friend. Agree with large responsibility on trooper. Intent was to share own experience, since early '40s, with perhaps 5,000 or so in force-array across nation. Among allathoseguys, never met one not fully aware and doing best possible...in very tough working situation where life, literally, hangs on own rapid response. Wonder is we have so few such situations...allamore reason to seek out full facts when they do occur. Appreciate your clean and clear insights, anytime...
Neal Feldman September 1, 2007 1:08 pm (Pacific time)

True Henry but at the risk of quoting comic books "With great power comes great responsibility". If an officer (or anyone) is in such situations they need to exercise the utmost care and competence or tragic things can happen. And again not to judge ahead of all the facts but 'it is a tough job' does not excuse things to me at least. I have seen that used as an excuse for great wrongs (like the poor guy on his doorstep riddled like Dillinger with over 40 rounds for pulling out his wallet. Last I checked no one was ever held accountable for that incident. Do you know anyone other than the poor dead schmuck who was?
Henry Ruark September 1, 2007 10:32 am (Pacific time)

Understand now trooper was comparatively inexperienced, over-speed in marked area, by word from covering person. NOT authoritative-yet, but as always must await detailed verification prior to ANY judgment. IF you've ever ridden on such rapid-decision ride you will understand necessity driving determined trooper in extremely dangerous action as demanded by his job-connected sworn responsibilities.

Henry Ruark September 1, 2007 8:58 am (Pacific time)
Neal et al: This story typical of ongoing journalist dilemma on WHEN to "tell it true". Best possible handling is factual, as this one does: Puts event on record, shares what is known, prepares readers for details yet to come...and thus emphasizes precisely what yr Comment does, "find out facts before making judgment" !! DO believe this is nice handling of tough situation.

Neal Feldman September 1, 2007 4:23 am (Pacific time)
She may not be physically injured but you are there pushing your baby in a stroller and WHAM the stroller is shot out of your hands by a car if you are human on any level YOU ARE FREAKING OUT. I do not know if she was wrong or not. I did not see in the article whether the lights and siren were in use or not. If they were she should have been aware and I would say likely her inattentiveness caused her child great harm... hopefully never to be repeated. If the siren and lights were NOT in use I have to ask the officer WHY NOT as well as what was he looking at instead of the stroller crossing in front of him (unless she popped it out out of nowhere of course). Too little detail to really assess but mainly you do not enter a street unless it is safe especially with a child so my initial assessment is the mother is in the wrong.

OK lights were on no excessive speed... nothing about sirens but many folks whine about those so there may be rules limiting their use. So more and more we have to wonder about this 17 yr old mother. Where was her head at crossing the street like that? Was she never taught to look both ways? And if she looked how could she miss flashing police lights? No mention of cell phone use but I'm sure someone (other than me) will bring it up, someone always does. (sigh) Ah well...

How about moving the comments from the other related article which now seems to be gone over to here? Just a thought.

Neal, that isn't a bad idea, I will run it by Matt, our designer, and see if that can be done.

Thanks

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