Overland Park officer making traffic stop injured, his second in 18 months

For the second time in a year and a half, a roadside crash has injured the same Overland Park police officer as he conducted a traffic stop.

Officer Trenton Gunter broke a leg in Sunday’s incident. He was in good condition Monday after surgery at a hospital.

Gunter, 27, had stopped a vehicle Sunday morning near151st Street and Stearns Place when a car driven by an 18-year-old Olathe man struck the rear of his patrol vehicle. Gunter was standing outside his vehicle, which was knocked into him and the car he had stopped.

His emergency lights were flashing at the time.

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating to determine whether the 18-year-old would face charges.

In the previous incident, Gunter was working an accident scene on Jan. 31, 2014, on westbound Interstate 435 near Metcalf Avenue. He was sitting buckled in his patrol car waiting for a tow truck when a vehicle struck the rear of his patrol car. He suffered minor injuries, according to police.

Police on Monday wanted to remind drivers that Kansas, like most states, has laws that require motorists to slow down or move to the far lane, if possible, when they see emergency vehicles on the roadside.

This story was originally published June 8, 2015 at 12:10 PM with the headline "Overland Park officer making traffic stop injured, his second in 18 months."