By Police1 Staff
WEST GREENWICH, R.I. — State police are investigating the death of an officer who was struck and killed by a wrong-way driver Monday, NBC 10 reported.
The 24-year-old Jamestown officer, Ryan Bourque, was on his way home after a shift when he was hit head-on by another driver on the interstate. Both died at the scene.
“It’s sad all around,” Capt. John Allen told the news site. “First one in recent memory that I can think of where the operator actually pulled a U-turn in the middle of the highway.”
Surveillance video of the incident shows the driver, 23-year-old Dejae Pizzaro, was going the right direction on the highway when he pulled to the shoulder and made a U-turn, going opposite the flow of traffic in the fast lane.
“They were beeping their horns trying to get the attention of the operator going in the wrong way,” Allen said. “At one point he just sped up and they weren’t able to keep up.”
Within a few minutes, Pizzarro collided with Bourque whose car went up in flames. Firefighters used the jaws of life to get the two men out of their vehicles.
Pizzarro also died in the incident. Police said there were no signs of drugs or alcohol in his vehicle but are waiting on toxicology reports.
Jamestown Chief Edward Mello told the new site Bourque’s last shift was his first anniversary as an officer.
The flag at #Jamestown Police flies at half staff in honor of a fallen brother. More on @NBC10 at 6. pic.twitter.com/ALX2pYtMAu
— Adam Bagni (@AdamBagni) May 23, 2016