Two PPD Officers Recovering in Separate Incidents

Two Philadelphia police officers have been victims of motor vehicle violence over the past week, both incidents occurring right here in Kensington.

Just down the block from the JayinPhiladelphia Global Affairs Desk, off-duty 3rd District Officer Michael Brady was mowed down by a hit-and-run driver (ahem) while walking to his grandmother's house early Wednesday morning.  Surveillance video (included in the news link) from a residence on the block reveals the driver far exceeding the 25 MPH speed limit, and as this happened on Cumberland, a residential street where there is a stop sign every block and the blocks are only 400 feet long, this indicates to me that the driver must have zipped through every other intersection along the way in reckless fashion, as well.

Cumberland also happens to be one of the main east-bound through streets from Kensington Avenue back to I-95 and the Delaware River crossings, and is a route PPD may want to focus some of their attention on (I'd feel quite confident in estimating that at least 50% of drivers operating vehicles with New Jersey tags speeding along Cumberland late at night, any night, are carrying quantities of hard drugs purchased from the plague of street pharmacists over on the Ave, and thereabouts), in addition to Lehigh and York.

Then, on Sunday night, just south of the Allegheny El around Kensington Ave, G Street and Clearfield, on-duty 24th District Officer Bryan Turner, who happens to be a US Army veteran who saw combat in Iraq, was dragged for three blocks by the subject of a traffic stop, as the latter attempted to flee once the situation during the traffic stop, whatever it was, threatened to turn bad for him.  Well, let's hope the situation is now considerably worse for him.  20-year old Naim Woodley is under arrest, and charged with aggravated assault (no attempted murder?) and resisting arrest.

The driver who plowed over Michael Brady is still at large, and there is a $10,000 reward being offered for information leading to his or her arrest and conviction.

Police believe the striking vehicle [ed note: I would have said "the striker's vehicle," since the car did not decide to strike Officer Brady on its own] is a 2010 black or dark colored Ford Taurus, last seen travelling east on Cumberland Street towards Aramingo Avenue. 

Police say the vehicle may have minor damage to the passenger side windshield and possibly a dented hood. 

The video shows a passenger getting out of the car about a half block away, presumably to look for damage, and then gets back in before the car [ed note: driver and passenger(s), who are the assailants] keeps going. [...]

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Accident Investigation Division at 215-685-3180. 

Ideally, both drivers will have their privilege to operate heavy machinery on our streets revoked for life, of course after serving time in prison for their violent acts and clear callous disregard for the lives of others.

Considering these two cases of motor vehicle violence involve police officers in the role of victim, at least we can rest assured they will be taken very seriously, and that there will be no shortage of resources dedicated to ensuring justice is served.  Here's hoping we can all ultimately receive that same courtesy one of these days.