MEDINA COUNTY, Ohio — A cruiser that was holding a police K-9 was struck after responding to a rollover crash on I-76 near State Route 57 in Medina County Monday night.
Around 9:05 p.m., officers from the Wadsworth Police Department responded to the accident on I-76 eastbound.
K-9 Officer Seth Petit pulled over in the left lane which had been shut down.
Shortly after the officer exited the cruiser, there was a collision between a minivan and a passenger car. One the vehicles then struck the K-9 cruiser.
A camera inside the cruiser captured the moment of impact.
K-9 Zoro was in the back seat. Officers said he wasn't injured, but he was shaken up from the ordeal.
Officer Petit checked on Zoro moments after the crash. Body camera audio captures the handler comforting the dog by saying, "You're all right, Zoro. You're all right. You're all right. You're all right. You're okay."
Petit feared for his dog after hearing the crash and said he was relieved that Zoro was not hurt.
"Obviously, he was very upset about what happened. He was amped up a little bit, but all-in-all, he seems to be doing okay," Petit said.
Petit said the incident should remind drivers to slow down or move over when there are flashing lights, and to take it easy when the roads turn treacherous.
"The major takeaway is when the weather gets bad, give yourselves a few more minutes to get where you're going safely," Petit said. "This situation could have turned out much, much worse."
No injuries were reported from the initial or secondary crash. No officers were hurt.
