The Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper involved in a crash near Glenrock on Thursday is expected to be released from the hospital today and make a full recovery.
The Wyoming Highway Patrol has identified the Trooper involved in the crash as Trooper Joel Eldred. Trooper Eldred is a 12-year veteran with the Patrol and is stationed out of Glenrock.
Trooper Eldred was responding emergent to the “shots fired” call in Douglas with both the emergency lights and sirens activated on his Dodge Charger patrol car.
While passing eastbound traffic on US 20/26 at mile post 163.63, a 2002 Jeep SUV traveling east turned left into a commercial business driveway in front of the passing patrol car. The Jeep was allegedly driven by 49-year-old Jamestown, Louisiana resident Robin Belgard.
WHP says Trooper Eldred applied emergency braking and steered his patrol car into the north ditch to avoid the Jeep, but he was still unable to avoid a crash. The two vehicles collided as the patrol car entered the ditch.
After entering the ditch, Trooper Eldred’s patrol car rolled a minimum of four times.
The Jeep spun around on the highway and came to rest facing west in the westbound lane of US 20/26.
Investigators are crediting Trooper Eldred’s seat belt use, ballistic vest use, vehicle safety design (including airbags) and the patrol car’s prisoner transport safety cage for minimizing the injuries Trooper Eldred sustained from the crash.
Robin Belgard was treated for her injuries and was released from the hospital on June 30th.
Trooper Eldred had attended WHP sponsored training the day before this crash occurred titled Below 100. The Below 100 program is a nationwide training initiative being given to Troopers and other law enforcement agencies in Wyoming to minimize the amount of officer involved deaths across the United States. Wearing your seat belt, wearing your ballistic vest and preparing for traffic to turn left in front of officers during emergency response are three main points emphasized in the Below 100 program.
Trooper Eldred is expected to be discharged from the hospital today (July 1st) and to make a full recovery from his injuries.
No citations have been issued from this crash at the time of this update.
A Wyoming State Trooper was injured this afternoon (June 30th) after being involved in a two vehicle crash while responding to a shots fired call. The crash occurred at 2:30 p.m. on June 30th at mile post 163.63 on US Highway 20/26 near the eastern city limits of Glenrock, Wyoming.
The Trooper was responding emergent to a “shots fired” call in Douglas, Wyoming when the crash occurred. The Trooper’s patrol car and an SUV were the two vehicles involved in the crash. The Trooper’s patrol car did roll multiple times during the crash. The Trooper was wearing their seat belt at the time of the crash. The SUV was occupied by the driver only.
The Trooper was taken by helicopter ambulance to Wyoming Medical Center in Casper. The driver of the SUV was transported by ground ambulance to Wyoming Medical Center.
Injuries sustained to both the Trooper and the driver of the SUV are not believed to be life threatening.
The investigation is currently still ongoing at the crash scene.