Middle Township police officer injured in suspected DWI crash
Patrolman Austin Kapurelos was hit during a traffic stop on Route 47 South just after 10 p.m., according to the Middle Township Police Department.
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A Middle Township police officer is in critical condition after being hit by a suspected impaired driver on Friday night.
Patrolman Austin Kapurelos was hit during a traffic stop on Route 47 South just after 10 p.m., according to the Middle Township Police Department. He was brought to the hospital and is in stable condition as of Saturday.
The driver, 36-year-old Lucio Lopez-Perez, of Erma, was arrested at the scene for suspected impaired driving. He now faces multiple charges, including driving while intoxicated and assault by auto.
Route 47 South was closed for about 4 hours while police investigated the scene.
Lopez-Perez is in custody at the Cape May County Correctional Center.
Middle Township Mayor Christopher Leusner offered well wishes for Kapurelos and his family, along with a reminder to the community to practice safe driving.
"Please, never get behind the wheel impaired," he said. "It puts every life on the road at risk, including the lives of those who serve us."
