Cape Girardeau officer escapes uninjured after bizarre crash on I-55 | News

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS)- An officer escaped with his life after a bizarre crash late Sunday night on Interstate 55 in Cape Girardeau.

A Cape Girardeau man was cited for several offenses.

Ronald G. Bollinger, 50, of Cape Girardeau given a summons for DWI, no seatbelt, failure to drive in a single lane, and failure to yield to emergency vehicle.

According to Sgt. Rick Schmidt with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, it all started about 10:40 p.m. when a subject was threatening to jump off the Hopper Street overpass into interstate traffic.

Sgt. Schmidt says he arrived on scene to where the suicidal subject was threatening to jump and immediately instructed Patrolman James Zeidler to shutdown the southbound lanes near the 98 mile marker.

Schmidt says Zeidler positioned his squad car on the interstate to stop traffic when an oncoming driver in a Suburban did not slow down.

Zeidler apparently jumped out of the way just in time before the SUV driven by Bollinger slammed into the Cape Girardeau Police officer's car.

Patrolman Zeidler was not injured.

Sgt. Schmidt says Zeidler then ran down the interstate several feet to the aid of the driver in the SUV.

Police say the Bollinger refused medical treatment, but did leave the scene of the accident in the back of a police car.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 55 did not open back up until about 12:15 a.m.

As for the attempted jumper, that person's efforts were not successful and the individual is now being treated.

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