DPS Trooper Hospitalized Following Car Accident in Goodyear

Goodyear, Arizona—An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper was injured after initiating a traffic stop on eastbound I-10 at Bullard Avenue near Goodyear on Monday evening.  The trooper was still inside his service vehicle when it was rear-ended by a pickup driven by Christian Reiling, age 25.  The impact pushed the trooper’s service vehicle into the SUV he had pulled over.

The SUV driver ran to check on both the state trooper and Reiling.  Reiling claimed the crash was caused by another unidentified car that did not allow him to merge into traffic.  A second DPS officer who responded to the scene noticed drug paraphernalia in the front seat of Reiling’s car.  Reiling failed field sobriety tests.

Reiling was arrested and booked into the county jail on charges of endangerment, drug possession, DUI and aggravated assault.  The trooper remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.  The driver of the SUV sustained minor injuries.  Authorities did not release the names of the injured.   

Our best wishes for the trooper’s rapid and full recovery.