Early birds and insomniacs in Tucson got more than they bargained for just before 3 a.m. on January 22, when a Tucson Police Department K-9 officer turned the intersection of Park Avenue and Ajo Way into what can only be described as a very expensive, very wet Tuesday morning.
Officer Samuel Rennick, driving his patrol vehicle, ran a red light and plowed into a box truck, which then rolled over like it had somewhere to be on the ground. The box truck driver walked away without a scratch, which is honestly impressive given the circumstances. Officer Rennick was not so lucky, sustaining injuries to his head and face. His canine partner also took a hit and reportedly needed stitches. You really hate to see it.
Now, for the car enthusiast crowd reading this: yes, he activated his emergency lights. Just moments before the crash. For those keeping score at home, that is what the industry calls “too little, too late,” and also what driving instructors call “not how this works.”
The Violations, the Water, and the Internal Investigation
The incident report that News 4 Tucson obtained reads like a checklist of things you really do not want on your record: running a red light, not wearing a seatbelt, and, as a bonus, taking out a fire hydrant on the way through. That last one turned the roadway into an impromptu fountain feature, which, to be fair, Park Avenue probably did not need at that hour.
Officer Rennick was cited for both the red light violation and the seatbelt infraction. The Tucson Police Department confirmed he is back at work, though they declined to go into further detail citing the ongoing internal investigation and his due process rights. A perfectly reasonable response, even if it does have the energy of “the dog ate my homework but we are not at liberty to confirm the dog’s name.”
The K-9, to his credit, survived and is reportedly recovering. He did not run any red lights, was presumably wearing his harness, and frankly deserves a very long nap and several treats.