Local police officers are raising money to help a Cary officer who was injured last week in a motorcycle crash.
The Cary chapter of the N.C. Police Benevolent Association set up a text-message donation system, a website and a Wachovia bank fund to support Chad Penland and his family as the officer recovers from serious injuries sustained during the Friday crash.
"We're a close-knit family," said Randy Byrd, president of the Cary PBA chapter. "When one of our own is hurt, injured or killed, we always rally."
A pickup truck struck Penland, a senior Cary traffic-safety officer, as he drove his police motorcycle on patrol about 5 p.m. Penland, 32, suffered serious injuries, including broken bones, that were not life-threatening, Cary spokeswoman Deanna Boone said.
The eight-year Cary police veteran was still hospitalized Monday.
The town's insurance policy will cover Penland's medical bills. But the PBA wants to cover travel expenses for out-of-town family and friends and other injury-related expenses.
Some family members came from as far as the Greenville, S.C., area to visit Penland, who was a longtime resident of Burnsville, Byrd said.
"There's motel expenses, there's food expenses," Byrd said.
Penland was on patrol when he witnessed a traffic violation and sped off in pursuit, lights and sirens activated, through the intersection of Morrisville-Carpenter Road and N.C. 55, according to state Highway Patrol reports.
A 72-year-old Cary man, Benjamin Rainey, drove a Dodge pickup truck across Penland's path, according to Highway Patrol reports.
The patrol issued a citation to Rainey for failure to yield the right of way just before the collision.
