Horrifying moment ATV driver loses control and smashes into cop car that had swerved into its lane to block pedestrians

Video footage has captured the horrifying moment an ATV driver loses control and smashes into a cop car that had swerved into its lane to block pedestrians.

The ATV driver suffered serious injuries following the collision in New Haven, Connecticut, on Sunday.

He was thrown violently across the dashboard as the police cruiser suddenly veers into his lane and short stops in front of him to prevent him from driving the ATV on a restricted road.

Despite this, police insist the officer was engaging in 'potentially life-saving maneuver on behalf of this family that was in harm's way.' 

The incident occurred around 3:40 pm, when officers responded to reports of ATV riders using a road restricted to pedestrian traffic since 2020.

The officer, part of a team assigned to address complaints of reckless driving by ATV and dirt bike riders, spotted was patrolling the city's East Rock Park when he spotted the ATV speeding on Farnam Drive toward pedestrians. 

In the video, the cruiser slows and positions itself to block the lane just after families had passed.  

According to police, the cruiser's maneuver allowed space for the ATV driver to maneuver safely. 

'Officers responded to the area of East Rock Park on the reports of a group congregating there and used Farnam Drive to access the park,' New Haven police said. 

'The officers slowed the cruiser and angled it to protect the families and pedestrians they had just passed while providing a point of egress to the side of them for the oncoming ATV to pass the cruiser,' police described. 

Despite this, the ATV lost control, striking the cruiser's front passenger side window. The driver sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital. 

'This is an unfortunate and stark reminder of the extreme dangers of illegal ATV and dirt bike riding on city streets, both for pedestrians and the operators of the vehicles themselves,' New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson said in a statement Tuesday.

'Our police officers engaged in a potentially life-saving maneuver on behalf of this family that was in harm's way.' 

'While we're glad the family was protected from harm, what happened to the driver is tragic, and we hope for his complete and speedy recovery and we urge the public not to engage in this type of activity,' Jacobson said.

'They hear an ATV coming in their direction, they move over to the left side as a way to shield the people behind them,' Jacobson added. 'The officer wasn't traveling at any speed when the incident happened and then the officer also gave an area of egress, meaning they could've gotten around the police car.' 

'We need to make sure the people, who are a large amount of people who walk and bike in that area, are safe, so you will see more patrols going forward,' Jacobson said.