Ashland officer hit by vehicle, ending traffic control practice at school intersection

Charles Dunlap, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
Ashland police officers formerly conducted traffic control operations in the center of the South Henry Clay Boulevard and East Liberty Lane intersection near Southern Boone primary and elementary schools. That practice ended Tuesday after an officer was hit from behind by a vehicle and injured.
Ashland police officers formerly conducted traffic control operations in the center of the South Henry Clay Boulevard and East Liberty Lane intersection near Southern Boone primary and elementary schools. That practice ended Tuesday after an officer was hit from behind by a vehicle and injured.

The Southern Boone County School District and Ashland Police Department have ended a traffic control practice at the corner of South Henry Clay Boulevard and East Liberty Lane following an officer injury Tuesday.

The officer was struck by a vehicle from behind. The Southern Boone Fire District and a University of Missouri Hospital ambulance responded to evaluate the officer's condition.

The officer was treated at an Ashland urgent care clinic and released.

The intersection is located near the Southern Boone primary and elementary schools and the district central office.

Officers have reported near-misses before at the intersection, and Ashland Police Chief Gabe Edwards was working with the school district on solutions, the police department said in a news release.

The driver who struck the officer stopped and cooperated with the investigation, the department said. The driver was not cited. The intersection is not large enough to accommodate a person conducting traffic control operations, and the driver "clearly had no intention" to hit the officer, the police said.

Instead of directing traffic, officers will be posted next to the intersection to assist those crossing the road so long as officers are available and not responding to other calls.

“This intersection has been a growing problem for our community for a while now,” said Ashland Mayor Dorise Slinker in the release. “I’m relieved our officer is back on duty and eager to continue working with the school district and our city departments to find a permanent solution.”

The population in this area of Ashland continues to grow, the release noted.

"The Southern Boone School District is encouraging parents dropping off students at the primary and elementary schools to allow a little extra time and patience while driving through the intersection," said Southern Boone Superintendent Chris Felmlee.

The district continues to work with the city on finding long-term solutions to the congestions issues, Felmlee added.

The officer injury Tuesday joins another officer injury from approximately two months ago, which represents 40% of the department's full-time patrol staff.

While the officer injured Tuesday was able to return to duty, the other officer remains out after a full tear of his Achilles tendon due to an assault while on a domestic call, the department said.

Charles Dunlap covers courts, public safety and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com, or CD_CDT on Twitter. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Officer injury ends traffic control practice at Ashland intersection