A police cruiser's dashcam video caught the moment that a normal traffic stop turned into carnage, and the officer looked very close to receiving serious injuries, if not losing his life. A 17-year-old speeding in a 2018 BMW M3 lost control while allegedly going 120 miles per hour on a road with a 50-mph speed limit.
The incident occurred in Fairfax County, Virginia, on May 1. In the video, keep your eye on the left side of the frame. The officer is conducting a normal traffic stop while standing on the passenger side of a vehicle. The speeding BMW initially looks like a black dot and is clearly carrying a lot of speed. It oversteers into a corner of the highway and comes across the median with its rear leading the way.
The officer tries to run back to his vehicle. Somehow he's in the perfect spot where the M3 hits the stopped vehicle, spins, and only appears to brush against his legs. The impact causes him to fall briefly. He then hops over the guardrail and radios for help.
In the video, you can hear someone moaning in what sounds like pain. It's not clear whether this is coming from the M3 or the person in the stopped car.
The crash only resulted in minor injuries. Three teens were in the M3. The officer and driver of the stopped car had to go to the hospital. Doctors already sent them home.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis told WTOP News that he planned to use the video of the crash as a training tool. The officer's choice to approach the stopped vehicle on the passenger side and quick reaction helped save his life.
"He’s just glad to be alive and hopefully home relaxing with a lottery ticket in his pocket," Davis said about the officer.
The police charged the teen behind the wheel of the M3 with reckless driving.
