Body Cam Footage: Pokémon Go Player Collides with Police Car
- By Sydny Shepard
- Jul 20, 2016
Baltimore Police are advising drivers to keep their eyes on the road while driving, despite the urge to “catch them all.”
In a body camera video released from Baltimore Police, a Toyota Rav4 is seen crashing into a parked police car. The Rav4 makes it down the road before the driver is approached by an officer to see if he is okay. The driver responds, “That’s what I get for playing a dumb … game.”
“We want you to play safe,” Baltimore City Police spokesperson T.J. Smith said in a press conference on Tuesday. “A lot of people are gonna say ‘We shouldn’t have to tell people about this,’ but this is no different than texting and driving, than changing a CD, putting on makeup, or eating a sandwich. You have to pay attention while driving.”
The driver had others in the vehicle with him, but no one was hurt in the collision.
The game has sparked some odd stories around the country as players wander with their eyes glued to their phone. In Auburn, Georgia, a player crashed his car into a tree while playing the game while two players in Encinitas, California walked off a cliff, unaware of their surroundings while immersed in the smartphone game.
“You can’t aimlessly wander around to play a game on your cell phone,” Smith said. “It’s like zombie land watching people out there playing these games sometimes.”
About the Author
Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.