REGIONAL (BCN) — A California Highway Patrol officer with Bay Area ties who was injured when a truck driver allegedly intentionally drove at him on Interstate Highway 80 in Sacramento County earlier this month has been upgraded from critical to serious condition, CHP officials said Tuesday.
CHP officials said motorcycle Officer Michael Ericson was struck by a 2001 Ford F-350 truck at 1:05 p.m. on April 7 near the center divider on westbound Highway 80 east of Madison Avenue in unincorporated Sacramento County.
Austin Scott, 28, of Reno, Nevada, allegedly fled after the assault and led CHP officers on a chase through Solano County before being taken into custody, CHP officials said.
Scott appeared under the influence of drugs on the day of the assault, according to CHP officials. The truck used in the assault was reported stolen from Reno.
He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, possession of a stolen vehicle and drug offenses for the incident.
Ericson has worked for the CHP for the past 17 years, including the last six years in the North Sacramento office. Before that, he worked in the Solano, Napa and San Francisco area offices, CHP spokeswoman Officer Jenna Berry said.
Ericson is a U.S. Marine veteran, has two sons and is engaged to be married, CHP officials said.
Ericson is receiving care at the University of California at Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, a spokeswoman with the UC Davis Health System said.