A Colorado State Patrol (CSP) trooper investigating a crash on I-270 in Adams County early Saturday morning lept off a bridge barrier to escape a vehicle crashing into his car and was seriously injured, according to a press release.

Two state patrol troopers in separate cars were investigating an earlier accident near mile maker 1 in the eastbound direction of the highway, which links I-25 and U.S. 36 with I-70. A passing vehicle hit one patrol car, which was unoccupied, at around 3:45 a.m. That trooper was outside the vehicle and unhurt.

Shortly after, another vehicle crashed into a second state patrol car on the scene, forcing that trooper to jump over a bridge barrier and fall 30 feet down an embankment. The second trooper was transported to an area hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

“Both drivers who entered the original crash scene and struck two CSP vehicles are suspected to be impaired,” the release said.

I-270 was closed in the eastbound direction for an investigation but has since reopened.

Colorado, like every state, has a move-over law that requires vehicles passing stopped emergency vehicles to move into the next lane if possible. If not, they are required to slow their speeds by at least 20 miles per hour from the existing limit.

Traffic incidents are the number one cause of job-related deaths for police officers and EMS responders nationwide, according to the Colorado State Patrol, which has seen about a dozen of its troopers killed by passing motorists. Tow truck drivers are also vulnerable.

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