Driver faces cocaine, marijuana charges in crash that injured Raleigh police officer
A Raleigh police officer was injured after his patrol car was struck as he investigated two wrecks on an interstate ramp Friday night.
The officer, who was taken to WakeMed, had responded to a 9:56 p.m. report of a single-vehicle crash on the Interstate 87 South ramp to Interstate 40 East, according to a Raleigh Police Department news release.
A driver had hydroplaned and struck a guardrail, causing a minor injury.
A second crash unfolded as another driver slowed to avoid the first wreck and was struck by a third vehicle, the release said. No one in the vehicles was injured.
Around 10:10 p.m., the officer was in his parked patrol car with its lights flashing, the release said, when his car was struck by a work van.
The van driver jumped out and ran, but was stopped by another officer after a brief foot chase, the release said.
The driver of the van was transported to the hospital with injuries from the crash and charged with driving while impaired, the release said.
Emanuel Najera was driving the van, according to a Raleigh wreck report .
According to the Wake County jail website, Emmanuel Najera-Pereira, 28, faces charges that include felony possession of cocaine, possession of up to 1/2 ounce of marijuana, felony hit and run and other charges.
As of 2 p.m. Saturday, he remained in the jail on $77,500 bail.
This story was originally published September 12, 2020 at 9:11 AM.
