Maine State Trooper Injured After Patrol Car Rear-Ends Vehicle He Pulled Over During Traffic Stop

A Maine state trooper is recovering after being rear-ended by another vehicle during a traffic stop on the interstate Saturday night, authorities said.

The patrol car in which Officer Patrick Flanagan was riding spun and struck the vehicle he had stopped. Flanagan and the two other drivers suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Maine State Police said in a news release.

Flanagan’s emergency lights were activated on the southbound Maine Turnpike in Biddeford when his car was struck, police said.

Flanagan and the 25-year-old driver of the vehicle that struck his vehicle were taken to hospital. The driver was issued a summons.

The circumstances leading to the accident are under investigation, police said.

This is the third vehicle crash against a state police car in 48 hours, according to police reports.

The other two crashes occurred in Gardiner and Gouldsboro, CBS affiliate WGME reported. There were no injuries in the other two.