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N.Y. officer in coma after being hit by suspected drunk driver

The officer was directing traffic when a drunk driver hit another vehicle and spun into the officer, police said

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By Suzie Ziegler

SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — A Long Island police officer is in a medically induced coma after being hit by a suspected drunk driver on Wednesday, according to CBS New York. The officer was directing traffic when the suspect driver slammed into another car and spun around, pinning the officer underneath.

The officer, who was not named, had emergency brain surgery and is on a ventilator as of Thursday, according to the report.

“We came close to losing a life of one of our members,” Acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron told CBS New York. “We are optimistic that he will fully recover and, again, that’s due to the great care that he received.”

The driver, 38-year-old William Petersohn, was charged with DWI. Petersohn also suffered serious injuries, police said.

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