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July 11, 2008 - Burnsville, Minnesota Police Chief Robert Hawkins released video and pictures of crashes that show what police officers and drivers face when other drivers don't pay attention behind the wheel. "I'm pretty fortunate to be here right now," said Burnsville Police Officer Paul Oelrich.
He is the latest Burnsville officer nearly killed by a drunk or inattentive driver. A car he had stopped for a traffic violation was struck by a drunk driver on July 11, as Oelrich stood only a couple of feet away.
The dash-cam video from his police car shows the second car barreling towards him. Police said the man that was driving had a blood-alcohol reading nearly two and 1/2 times the legal limit.
"And the next thing I knew, I heard a loud bang and then I was rolling in the ditch. And a few seconds later, I could hear screaming from the vehicle," recalled Oelrich.
He ran to his car to get his first aid kit and help the woman in the first car. Now, he thinks about the crash all the time.
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