Officer Is Injured as Pregnant Driver Cuts Him Off, Police Say
A San Fernando Valley motorcycle police officer suffered a broken collarbone Saturday when a pregnant driver apparently went into labor, tried to pull over and cut off the officer, sending him careening off the side of the car, police said.
Officer Paul Skinner was heading west on Roscoe Boulevard near Louise Avenue just after 12:30 p.m. when Henrietta Gonzalez, 29, of Reseda cut him off, said Sgt. John Gambill of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division.
Skinner, who has been on the force about 12 years and has spent more than two years as a motorcycle officer, crashed into the right side of the car and then slid about 30 feet into a gas station parking lot, Gambill said.
Police said that they did not think Gonzalez suffered any injuries in the accident but that she was experiencing labor pains and was taken by private vehicle to West Hills Regional Medical Center. A hospital spokeswoman said Gonzalez was in stable condition.
Gonzalez has not been charged with any infraction, Gambill said, although the investigation is continuing.
Skinner had no other injuries and did not require hospitalization, Gambill said.
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