Examiner Staff Writer
The condition of an Arlington police officer, injured when she was struck by a car Thursday morning near the Pentagon, has been upgraded from serious to good, Arlington Police spokesman John Lisle said.
Officer Tonia Velez, an 11-year veteran of the Arlington County Police Department, was using a radar gun to perform traffic enforcement operations when she was hit by a Nissan sedan.
The officer was attempting to stop the vehicle when the incident occurred.
The driver of the Nissan stopped when she hit the officer.
Velez sustained wounds to her face and fractures of her hands and right leg. Lisle said he did not expect the officer to be released from the hospital before the Christmas holiday.
“I don’t know how long she’ll be in there,” he said.
Lisle said that an investigation into the incident is ongoing and charges are pending.
“We’re still investigating it,” he said. “It could be a matter of weeks until we’re complete.”
He said the driver of the Nissan likely was speeding.
“It’s probably why [Velez] tried to stop her,” Lisle said.
