MACHIAS – It always happens when officers are hurt. The flowers, the prayers, the phone calls offering support.
On Wednesday, the outpouring was for Scott Dilworth, 33, a Lynnwood police officer with broken bones from head to toe. Dilworth was knocked from his patrol motorcycle Tuesday night by an alleged hit-and-run driver with a long history of traffic violations, officials said.
Two officers – Dilworth and a Snohomish officer – were hurt when, police allege, the driver ran into a half-dozen motorcycle officers driving in formation on a training ride on S. Machias Road north of Snohomish.
Dilworth was recovering Wednesday at a Seattle hospital in stable condition with broken bones all over his body, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said.
“He’s definitely banged up,” she said.
The other officer, a 23-year veteran from Snohomish, was treated and released Tuesday night and was back at work Wednesday, Snohomish Sgt. Fred Havener said.
Christopher Church, 26, of Kenmore is in the Snohomish County Jail on investigation of two counts of felony hit-and-run and one count of vehicular assault. A judge on Wednesday ordered Church held on $20,000 bail.
The motorcycle officers were returning home from a training program at Paine Field on Tuesday, Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
In an effort to avoid snarled traffic on I-5 and Highway 9 resulting from a fatal Marysville crash, the officers chose a back route on S. Machias Road, Hover said.
Just before 8 p.m., a Ford F-350 truck crossed the center line and hit Dilworth, Hover said. The Snohomish officer swerved to avoid the crash and wound up in the ditch, she said.
The driver didn’t stop, according to court documents. Three officers stayed with the injured police officers while a Snohomish County deputy gave chase and arrested the driver about a half-mile away.
Court records show Church has a long history of traffic infractions.
He’s been stopped at least 11 times for traffic violations since 1999, according to documents.
Police allege Church was under the influence of drugs at the time of the collision, records show.
The Snohomish officer had bumps, bruises, scrapes, and neck and back pain, the documents show. The officer is doing well and was back at work Wednesday, Havener said.
The whole thing was “terrible and a bit shocking,” Havener said. “The department’s pulling together, especially in support of the Lynnwood officer.”
Dilworth was taken to Providence Everett Medical Center Colby Campus and later was moved to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for more specialized care, Sessions said.
“Anytime any officer is hurt it’s a scary time for other officers,” she said. “In this case his fellow officers were glad they could be with him … At the same time it was tough to see the incident take place.”
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