National Grid Workers Rush To Escape Trench Before Out-Of-Control Driver Crashes Into Construction Site

WHITMAN (CBS) – Police say an officer's quick action helped National Grid workers escape danger when a driver suffered a medical emergency and accelerated out of control into a Whitman construction site.

Just before noon, three Whitman police officers were working road detail on South Ave. while a National Grid crew was working in a trench.

Officer Christopher Lee was stopping traffic while Officers Kevin Shanteler and Paul Young were stationed at the trench.

Lee saw a man slumped over the wheel of a Honda CRV that was approaching. As he walked toward the vehicle, it moved forward and almost struck him before traveling right at the trench.

Lee alerted the crew that the vehicle was approaching, allowing all of the workers to get out of the trench before the man drove into the trench and came to a stop in a front end loader.

Whitman Police believe the driver suffered a medical emergency before driving through the construction site.

All three police officers immediately began to render medical aid to the driver, who was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"This incident is proof that police officers provide an important level of safety and awareness while on the scene of a construction site such as this," Police Chief Timothy Hanlon said. "The Whitman Police Department is extremely proud of the professionalism exhibited by all of the officers involved in this incident, and we are all thankful that a serious injury -- or worse -- was avoided."