CBS 2 Chicago wbbm7801059 670 The Score

Local

Cop Charged With Striking Cyclist, Then Lying About It

View Comments
(Jed Jacobsohn/ Getty Images)

(Jed Jacobsohn/ Getty Images)

Don't Miss This

CHICAGO (STMW) — An off-duty Chicago police officer allegedly ran his car into a young woman riding her bicycle and later blamed her for causing the accident, the Sun-Times is reporting.

Michael Bergeson, 33, even called 911 twice after the Aug. 3 incident at California and Wabansia but claimed ignorance as to why she was injured, Cook County prosecutors said in court Thursday.

The victim was riding her bicycle at 3:25 a.m. with her boyfriend behind her when Bergeson allegedly struck her with his Ford F150. The victim flew over the hood of the car and landed on the street, bleeding with a head wound, prosecutors said.

She was in and out of conscious from the wreck when the officer stepped out of the truck and called 911 without identifying himself and said “female down, reason unknown, appears to be conscious,” prosecutors said.

Two minutes later, he called 911 again. This time he allegedly said, “possible AA female injured.”

As the ambulance approached three minutes later, Bergeson drove his truck around the victim and hit two parked cars, which caused his license plate to come off, prosecutors said.

The woman suffered multiple facial injuries, fractured bones in her foot and abrasions to her body. She had to spend two days in the hospital, prosecutors said.

The day of the accident, responding officers were able to trace the license plate to Bergeson’s home in the 1800 block of North Whipple, prosecutors said. He didn’t answer the door and the truck was nowhere to be seen.

Two days after the accident, the officer filed a police report in the 25th District, stating that he was traveling northbound on California when the victim disregarded a stop sign at Wabansia and hit him, prosecutors said,

He also allegedly blamed her for his license plate falling off but medical and forensic records indicate he was to blame for the wreck.

The officer was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries and disorderly conduct for filing a false police report.

Bergeson, who has been with the department since 2003, was ordered held on a $25,000 bond.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

 

View Comments
  • http://feeds.lexblog.com/~r/ChicagoTrialAttorneyBlog/~3/m_im4ufwaEs/ Chicago Trial Attorney: Personal Injury & Business Litigation: Auto Accident and Personal Injury Law — Various News Outlets Reporting that Off-Duty Chicago Cop Hit Pedestrian on Bicycle : Chicago Trial Attorney Blog

    [...] various local news outlets have reported, an off-duty Chicago Police Officer was recently charged with leaving the [...]

blog comments powered by Disqus
Listen Live!

RSS Most Popular News

Follow CBS Chicago

Like us on foursquare

RSS Contests & Promotions

  • Marquette County Convention & Visitors Bureau Post Game Show Giveaway May 10, 2013
    Listen to The Score’s Baseball Post Game Show for your chance to win a $100 lodging gift certificate from the Marquette County Convention & Visitors Bureau!
  • OREO Text-In Giveaway May 6, 2013
    The OREO King Size single serve packs are ideal for on the go snacking and sharing. To celebrate OREO King Size packs, text the keyword “OREO” to 67011 to enter for your chance to win a $250 Visa gift card!
  • Enjoy Golf’s Best Round With GREY GOOSE Vodka May 1, 2013
    Enjoy Golf’s Best Round this season with GREY GOOSE Vodka! Visit your participating retailer today and purchase one 750 mL or larger bottle of GREY GOOSE Vodka to receive one free round of golf!
  • Rivers Casino’s Baseball Fever Giveaway May 1, 2013
    Get Baseball Fever at Rivers Casino Sundays & Tuesdays in May! You could win great prizes and up to $25,000. Plus print out the WILD CARD that can help you win even more!
WBBM Newsradio 780, Radio Stations & Broadcast Companies, Chicago, IL

Twitter Updates