Freeway Closed 3 Hours After Officer Is Hurt

Westbound lanes of the Ventura Freeway were closed for about three hours Saturday afternoon after a California Highway Patrol motorcycle officer suffered a broken leg when struck by flying debris and officers investigated whether he had been shot, authorities said.

Officer Richard Matthews of the CHP West Valley station underwent surgery Saturday evening at the Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center. A rod was placed in the injured officer’s right lower leg to reset the broken bone, said Gary Goldenberg, a CHP spokesman.

The accident occurred about 1:40 p.m. on the westbound Ventura Freeway just west of Haskell Avenue. At first, authorities thought Matthews might have been shot by a sniper or a drive-by shooter, prompting them to close the freeway to search for attackers or evidence.

They later concluded that Matthews had not been attacked but had been struck in the leg by a piece of metal kicked up by a vehicle. Matthews broke his right tibia in at least two places, Goldenberg said.

“What [authorities] believe is it was debris on the road, which is not uncommon,” he said. “Between his speed and the speed of whatever it was, it was enough to penetrate his leg and break it.”

Matthews and his partner, Officer David Kajiwara, pulled over to the freeway’s right shoulder after Matthews felt excruciating pain in his lower right leg, Goldenberg said.

The injured officer was expected to stay in the hospital overnight, officials said.

The freeway’s westbound lanes were reopened about 4:45 p.m., authorities said.