Hero cop seriously injured by taxi driver in Camden

A police officer hailed as a hero earlier this month was severely injured Thursday night when he was struck by a taxi whose driver allegedly fled the scene but then crashed his vehicle.

Camden County Officer Joseph Mair initially was hospitalized in critical condition with leg and hip injuries, but his condition later was upgraded to serious, county spokesperson Dan Keashen said in an email Friday night.

“This time last week, we were celebrating Officer Mair’s selfless actions when he was the first officer to respond an accident on [I-]676 and helped rescue four occupants out of two burning vehicles with four other officers,” Keashen said. "He embodies the ethos of this department, ‘Service Before Self.’ Mair and his family are in our thoughts and prayers as he recovers from this tragic incident. "

Around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Mair heard a collision at Mount Ephraim Avenue and Thurman Street, and was getting out of his patrol car to investigate when he was struck by the taxi. The cabbie took off and the vehicle then crashed into a building at Newport Street and Thurman.

The taxi driver and a passenger were taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries. The taxi driver was released from the hospital and taken into custody, Keashen said, but then was released pending further investigation.

Mair was taken to Cooper University Hospital. “He has a long recovery ahead of him,” Keashen said.

The accident is under investigation by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Crash Team.