Tempe police sergeant, officer struck by wrong-way driver on SR-51

PHOENIX - Authorities say a Tempe police sergeant and officer were struck by a wrong-way driver early Monday morning on State Route 51. 

"There was such a big impact that debris went everywhere," said Department of Public Safety Trooper Jonathan Montes. 

According to the Tempe Police Department, the sergeant and officer were driving separate, marked vehicles in the northbound lanes of State Route 51 near Indian School Road at 1:45 a.m. when the sergeant's vehicle was hit by a 2018 red Corvette that was traveling in the wrong direction.

After the initial crash, the Tempe officer's vehicle also became involved in the collision.

there was such a big impact that debris went everywhere."

The emergency lights and sirens on the police vehicles were not activated. The sergeant and officer were heading to Phoenix to follow up on a missing person's investigation.

"Talk about bad timing, they weren't engaged in any sort of pursuit or any high speed with lights and sirens, it is just two police officers doing their job traveling just like everybody else does on the freeway," said Trooper Montes. 

Both the sergeant and the officer suffered minor injuries.

The alleged wrong-way driver has been identified by the Arizona Department of Public Safety as a 27-year-old Ohio man. He was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Investigators say they do not know where the corvette entered the freeway or how long he may have been driving the wrong way. The officers crashed into the car less than a minute after someone had reported the driver. 

Impairment is believed to be a factor in the crash.

All traffic lanes have been reopened, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.