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A Flagstaff Police Department patrol vehicle collided with the rider of an electric skateboard on the evening of Tuesday, June 3, near the intersection of South Milton Road and West Route 66. The rider was seriously injured and transported to the hospital in critical condition.

The incident occurred less than a week after a different police patrol vehicle struck a traffic signal pole at the intersection of Fourth Street and Route 66, on the morning of May 29. (A picture of the vehicle, with its hood crumpled and smoking, was and drew hundreds of comments.) The department stressed that the two incidents were unrelated.

“Although the two recent incidents occurred in close temporal proximity, they are entirely separate and isolated events,� the department stated in response to questions from the Arizona Daily Sun.

That statement also noted, “It is important to acknowledge that patrol officers spend a significant portion of their shifts operating vehicles and actively patrolling the community. Given the substantial amount of time they spend on the road � often under dynamic and unpredictable conditions � the likelihood of being involved in a vehicle collision inherently increases.�

According to the department’s press release about the June 3 incident, the collision occurred when “a male individual operating a self-balancing, single-wheel electric skateboard� entered the roadway.� The department’s Collision Reconstruction Team was investigating the circumstances of the incident. As of Friday, June 6, no updates on the condition of the rider were available.

“The officer involved in the collision with the rider is currently utilizing post-critical incident protocol time, in accordance with department procedures and due to the nature of the event,� the department stated.

Per that protocol, an officer involved in a critical incident -- defined by the department's policy manual as a "serious use of force incident, officer involved shooting, serious injury or death" or any other event with "sufficient emotional impact to overcome the usual coping abilities of an individual" -- may be eligible for administrative leave or a temporary change of duty assignment. 

The May 29 incident involved no persons other than the officer driving the vehicle, and the officer was not injured in the crash.

Flagstaff Police Department officers receive 40 hours of driver training during their initial academy preparation. They are required to complete an annual Emergency Vehicle Operations proficiency evaluation, as well as “a mandatory one-hour online defensive driving course required of all employees.�

The department stated that both incidents remain under investigation, and that the possibility of remedial or supplemental driver training would depend upon the findings.

“At this time, there is no indication that a reassessment of existing driving training policies is necessary,� a spokesperson said. “While the incidents occurred within a short time frame of one another, they are unrelated and were influenced by different sets of circumstances. The department remains committed to reviewing each event independently to ensure appropriate action and accountability.�