Ride-Along Minute 5

THUMP.

I had a rider and we had just left the station.   Graveyard shift.

We are sitting at a light about 4 blocks south of the station, talking and I hear a rather loud THUMP.

There doesn't appear to be anything going on as I enter the intersection and turn left.

About half a block into the lane of traffic, there is something in the roadway.

HOLY SH*T!!  There is a man laying in the street and he is NOT WELL.

The only car anywhere nearby is up ahead another block at the light.  It is dark out.

THAT ASSHOLE JUST HIT THIS GUY AND IS LEAVING THE AREA!!!

I have one car and one officer.

Do I stay where I am and block this man from being struck again or do I go after that hit-and-run driver????  What do I do????

I aired the information on the radio and drove around the man to get that car!  Actually, I think I told my rider to talk on the radio.  She had no idea what was happening but she handled it well.

Fortunately, since we had just finished briefing and left the station, there was another car that followed quickly and got the man some protection.

And I got the car stopped.

I know there were two women inside and that they looked a lot alike.  I think maybe they were sisters.  That became an issue later.  Who was driving?

Seriously.  I am supposed to 1) observe a traumatic incident completely by surprise, 2) decide which course of action to take when both are critically important, and 3) remember which of two look-a-like women got out of the driver's side???  Come the eff on.  Seriously.

I don't recall what ever happened with the case.

The man was homeless and crossing outside of the crosswalk, drunk.  The man was critically injured and I am quite sure never walked again.

However, the driver's actions were inexcusable!  Disgusting!  Who hits another human and just goes on???  Unfortunately, lots of people do, but not this time.

Traffic investigators did figure it out, I think, thank God.

And that was how our night started.

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