The injured child is in stable condition and expected to survive.
(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.
Update: Injury Crash Involving OSP Officer Who Struck StrollerSalem-News.com