A four-car pileup at the Wal-Mart stoplight on Highway 45 Tuesday night sent a Columbus police officer to the hospital with injuries.
At 6:55 p.m. the Lowndes County E911 office fielded a call about the accident, said Columbus Police Department Public Information Officer Terrie Songer.
Robbin Glover Jr., of 45 Parra Drive in Columbus, driving southbound in a white 1996 Dodge extended-cab pick-up truck, looked down when the cell phone in his pocket rang, Songer said.
“He looked up,” Songer said, “and there was our police department car. He slammed into it, the next one into the next one, and it was a rippling effect.”
CPD Patrolman Lance Luckey was directly in front of him in a green 1995 Ford F-150 Special Response Team vehicle. Luckey was on duty, on his way to training, Songer said.
The impact sent Luckey”s vehicle toward a silver 2000 Nissan Maxima, Songer said, and the Maxima hit a tan 2003 Buick Century.
Luckey was injured and in pain after the incident; he was sent to Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, where he received X-rays, Songer said.
The Mississippi Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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