PSP cruiser, car collide on Centre Street in Ashland
ASHLAND – No one was hurt when a state police cruiser struck another vehicle Monday evening in Ashland.
State Police at Frackville said the crash happened around 7pm at Centre and 18th Streets in the borough.
A 38-year-old state trooper, whose name was blacked out in Monday’s media release, was headed west on Centre Street in a 2021 Ford Police Interceptor Utility when a 2004 Honda turned left onto 18th Street in front of the trooper.
The Honda was driven by Elvis Torres Torres, 30, of Ashland. His name was not concealed in the media release.
State Police said the trooper attempted to avoid collision with the Honda but was unsuccessful, causing heavy body damage to the driver’s side of the Honda and disabling front end damage to the police cruiser.
The Honda was towed from the scene, and Torres Torres will be cited for the crash.
About Author
The Trooper is the victim if the other guy pulled out in front of the trooper. When civilians are victims their names are often blacked out. Why shouldn’t it be the same for a police officer? Seems the Sentinel is overreacting with the blackout comment.
Names are very rarely, if ever blacked out in State Police vehicle accident releases unless charges are pending against the person or the person is deceased. It’s more common that PSP will omit all names in a crash than black out a name, similar to what they do with minors. I have never seen PSP black out the name of a living, uninjured victim.
Here is an example of what is typical of PSP: https://www.psp.pa.gov/PIRRs/Hazleton%20Press%20Releases/N_HAZL_24DEC2022_1100.pdf
State Police did not black out the names of the victims, who were Hazle Township firefighters, although the driver who struck their vehicle was cited.