WISCONSIN RAPIDS (WAOW) -
There are new details about a crash that seriously injured a
Wisconsin Rapids police officer.
The officer is in stable condition, and is set to be
released from the hospital.
When an officer is called to a crash scene – it's usually to
help people they don't know – but that wasn't the case in Wisconsin Rapids on
Saturday night.
When authorities arrived, they saw a squad car totaled and
an officer trapped inside.
According to the police report, Officer Douglas Vanberkel,
23, had to be pulled from the car. He was then airlifted to Saint Joseph's Hospital
in Marshfield.
According to the report, the officer was traveling to assist
another officer. That's when he lost control and slammed into a stone wall. Officials
say Vanberkel was on his way to help a Nekoosa police officer handle a combative
suspect.
According to a report by the Wood County Sheriff's
Department, Vanberkel was driving too fast to make a turn.
Newsline 9 reached out to Officer Vanberkel, and he did not
want to comment.
The Wood County Sheriff's Department is handling the
investigation of the crash. Officials say more information will be released
later this week, but didn't want to talk on camera.
Wisconsin Rapids police officials had
no comment.
Wood Country authorities say the plan
to meet with the police officer soon to discuss what happened.
