Windham Officer Hurt When Vehicle Strikes Police Cruiser

WINDHAM, NH — A Windham police officer suffered minor injuries Sunday when his cruiser was struck by another vehicle, driven by an impaired driver, police say. The accident happened shortly after midnight on Sunday, as police were on Easy Street searching for a missing minor. Jeffrey Armstrong, 24, of Windham, was driving a Honda Civic and struck the police cruiser, causing minor injuries to the police officer and damaging the cruiser, according to Windham police.

Shortly before the accident, the officer was driving the police cruiser slowly with the cruise lights on, while scanning front yards of the local homes looking for the missing juvenile, police say. The accident happened as Armstrong was driving on the road in the opposite direction. According to police, Armstrong crossed the center line of the road, striking the front left portion of the cruiser and causing all the cruiser's airbags to deploy. Police say that the Honda Civic also almost hit another vehicle, but the driver of that vehicle was able to swerve out of the way and avoided being struck.

The Windham Fire Department took the injured officer to the hospital. Police say his injuries were minor and he has since been released from the hospital.

Armstrong is believed to be uninjured in the accident, according to police. He was arrested on a driving under the influence charge. Armstrong refused a blood test and was later released on personal recognizance bail, police say. He is scheduled to appear in Salem District Court on Aug. 28.