Chester police officer struck by car
A Chester police officer is hospitalized with nonlife threatening injuries after he was struck by a car on Thanksgiving night while directing traffic around a traffic accident.
Officer Joseph Toanone, suffered head, neck, and back injuries and was admitted to Crozer-Chester Medical Center, according to Capt. Robert Archacki. As of 7 a.m. Friday, Toanone was conscious and alert, he said.
Just after Toanone officer was struck, a police-dispatch call was issued for a "officer down." Two officers from Norwood and Lower Chichester were heading toward the scene and were involved in "nonserious" traffic accidents, Archacki said. He had no further details.
Toanone, who has two years on the job, was helping direct vehicles around a multiple-car accident in the 1400 block of Kerlin Street when he was struck by a car traveling south, Archacki said.
"These type of accidents unfortunately are too common," Archacki said. "People tend to get distracted by the scene."
The initial accident was "not serious" said Archacki. Cars were towed from the scene.
Archaic said the driver of the car that hit Toanone stopped and remained on the scene. The incident is still under investigation, he said.
