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Unusual wreck on Blue Ridge Parkway

An unusual wreck involving a Roanoke County police cruiser and another vehicle on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, a police sergeant chased a car near mile marker 111 on the parkway. About two miles later, the sergeant found the car sitting in the middle of the road.  The sergeant swerved to avoid the car and hit a ditch.   

The sergeant found the driver of the car on the shoulder of the parkway.  He had been ejected from the car and was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Friends have identified the driver of the car as 21-year-old Nick Martin of Blue Ridge. 

Roanoke County police say the cruiser never hit the car and was not responsible for the driver being ejected. 

Here is the full news release:

On July 1, 2009 at approximately 1:20 AM Sergeant K. Schirmer had a vehicle pass him on the Blue Ridge Parkway near mile marker 111 at a high rate of speed.  Sergeant Schirmer turned to locate the vehicle and observed the suspect vehicle, a 2000 Honda Civic, setting [sitting] in the middle of the road just south of mile marker 109.  Sergeant Schirmer ran off the side of the road to avoid the vehicle and struck a ditch.  Sergeant Schirmer located the driver of the vehicle, who had been ejected from the vehicle, on the road shoulder.  The driver was transported to Roanoke Memorial Hospital with life threatening injuries.

        The police vehicle made no contact with the Honda nor the ejected driver.  The Honda crash is still under investigation.