A police officer in Montgomery County, Maryland is fighting for his life after his cruiser was struck by a driver last week.
Officer Noah Leotta was conducting a traffic stop on Rockville Pike in Olney on Nov. 3 and was attempting to get back into his patrol car when a 2012 Honda CRV slammed into the driver's side and critically injured the 24-year-old, according to The Washington Post.
"He is fighting," Capt. Tom Didone, director of the department’s traffic division, told the newspaper. "He is in literally the fight of his life."
The driver of the CRV, identified as 47-year-old Luis Gustavo Reluzco, was taken into custody for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Any charges against Reluzco won't be filed until police complete the investigation.
Beginning Thursday night, a stream of officers and family members visited the hospital where Leotta is being treated.
On Monday morning, Leotta’s condition was still listed as critical.
Leotta officially joined the force in early 2013 and was assigned to the Wheaton district. As the holidays approached, volunteered to join the drunken driving task force.
"This is a nightmare," Didone said. "You send officers out there -- the very people they are trying to remove from the roads end up hurting them. This kid is the prototype of the police officer you want."
Officer.com will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
