A veteran Connecticut State Trooper struck a Shelton man after he dodged across a Bridgeport highway shortly after 2:30 a.m. this morning.
According to State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance, the pedestrian identified as Melvin Gordils, suddenly ran across the southbound lanes on Route 25 in the path of the cruiser. The 19-year veteran officer identified as Darren Pavlik was on routine DUI patrol when the incident occurred. He attempted to avoid hitting Gordils, but failed and Gordils was struck by the state police cruisers' front end.
Veteran Trooper Pavlik was unharmed and provided first aid to Gordils until EMS arrived.
The State Police Collision Accident Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to conduct an investigation and determined that Gordils had parked his Ford F350 in the right shoulder of Route 25 northbound and for unknown reasons and darted across the highway.
He was transported to St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport and is listed in critical but stable condition.