Newport police officers driving new armored van hit by semi-truck

Two officers with the Newport Police Department are lucky to be alive following a close call with a semi truck.

Newport Chief of Police, Ryan Duffy, said a few days ago two of his officers were sent to St. Augustine, Florida to pick up a special response van that the department purchased from the International Armored Group.

The company creates bulletproof, protection vehicles for first responders, military, etc.

Duffy said the van they purchased for about $180,000 is crucial to the department and community's safety.

It is used to transport officers to and from high-risk scenes as well as victims.

“Our delivery vehicle which was a 2004 was decommissioned about two years ago and this was our replacement vehicle for it," said Duffy. “The van is there to provide ballistic protection for those that are in it.”

While driving back to Rhode Island in the new van, it was struck by a semi-truck.

The incident was caught on the dash camera of a nearby officer who was also driving on the highway.

It shows the semi-truck veering into the van, pushing it into a concrete barrier on the highway before coming to a stop in traffic.

“It was very impactful to them. They hit that barrier hard and that semi truck pretty hard and so they were pretty shaken up but they’re doing well neither of them were seriously injured," said Duffy. “It kept going, as you saw from the video, there was a Dunn, North Carolina officer behind the trailer and so the officer, moments after the impact as the trailer kept going, the officer stopped the truck.”

What caused the semi truck to strike them is under investigation in North Carolina.

Chief Duffy said the new van acted as armor for his men in what could have been a tragic incident.

“The van itself is likely totaled but the two officers inside were unharmed and I think had it been a standard vehicle I think the scenario would’ve been a lot different," said Duffy. “It reminds us how fragile life is. You could be doing everything right as these officers were doing. Obeying the speed limit, driving in the travel lane, and as fate would have it this semi truck came right into their lane. So it’s a reminder you can still do everything right and have bad things happen to you.”

Duffy said currently they are dealing with insurance and have been speaking with the International Armored Group about the possibility of getting a new van from them.

He said the van they purchased and had for a few hours, did its job.

“We’re just very happy our officers are safe. Our officers go into a line of danger all the time on domestics and all sorts of high risk things and driving a vehicle shouldn’t be a high risk thing but you never know what can happen," he said. “You can always replace the vehicle.”