Horrifying moment deputy is sent flying at a school crossing when she is hit by distracted driver who was looking at his cell phone
- Scary incident took place at around 7:10am on Thursday in South Carolina
- Deputy Chelsea Cockrell was directing traffic near Lugoff Elementary School
- A 1997 Toyota SUV was said to be speeding at 40mph in school zone
- Vehicle barreled into Cockrell, sending her flying to pavement in intersection
- Cockrell was taken to hospital, treated, and then released the same day
- John Mitchell Carns of Ridgeway, South Carolina, charged with misdemeanors
Dramatic video shows a South Carolina sheriff’s deputy being struck by an SUV that was going 40mph in a school zone while the driver was said to be looking at his cell phone.
The scary incident took place near Lugoff Elementary School in Kershaw County on Thursday morning.
According to authorities, Deputy Chelsea Cockrell was directing traffic while wearing her bright yellow reflecting jacket at around 7:10am local time.
As she turns around, a 1997 Toyota SUV barreling down the roadway collides into her, sending her hurtling at least a dozen feet as the vehicle comes to a screeching halt.
Authorities say that the driver admitted to looking at his cell phone when the collision took place, WLTX-TV reported.
Dash cam footage from Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina showed Deputy Chelsea Cockrell (above) directing traffic near Lugoff Elementary School
Cockrell turns around and notices a 1997 Toyota SUV speeding in her direction
The vehicle collides into Cockrell, sending her hurtling at least a dozen feet to the pavement
The driver of the vehicle later admitted to authorities that he was distracted by his cell phone at the time of the collision
Cockrell, a school resource officer at Stover Middle School, suffered injuries and was released from a hospital in nearby Columbia that same day.
The sheriff’s office posted a photo of Cockrell in the hospital smiling and giving a thumbs up.
Cockrell was taken to a hospital in nearby Columbia, South Carolina, and was treated and released the same day. She is seen above giving a thumbs up sign
The South Carolina Highway Patrol later identified the driver as John Mitchell Carns, a resident of Ridgeway.
Carns has been charged with driving too fast for conditions and texting while driving, according to the Charlotte Observer.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 days in jail as well as a fine.