A Durham police K9 officer was seriously injured Wednesday night when his patrol vehicle was struck by a suspected drunk driver on Guess Road.
K9 Officer B.K. Gardner was driving his 2016 Dodge Charger north on Guess Road around 10:50 p.m. when a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driven by Byron Cinto-Lopez pulled out from a stop sign on Peppertree Street into the path of Officer Gardner’s vehicle.
After the collision, Cinto-Lopez fled on foot from his vehicle, but he was apprehended a short time later by DPD patrol officers.
Cinto-Lopez, 33, was arrested and charged with driving while impaired, felony hit-and-run and no operator’s license. He was placed in Durham County Jail under a $7,500 bond.
Officer Gardner was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries, which do not appear to be life-threatening. He remains hospitalized at this time. Officer Gardner’s K9 Choco was not in the vehicle when the crash occurred. Cinto-Lopez was not injured.
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