By Mike Hazlip—
A budget item approved last month by the Citrus Heights City Council designated funds to replace six police vehicles, including one that was totaled after a driver rear-ended an officer on Auburn Boulevard.
The Sentinel previously reported the police vehicle was traveling southbound along Auburn Boulevard near Grand Oaks Boulevard when a Honda Civic collided with it sometime after 7 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2020.
Related: Woman arrested after smashing into Citrus Heights police vehicle
The impact caused the police vehicle to spin out and come to rest in the northbound lanes of Auburn Boulevard. There were two Citrus Heights police officers in the police vehicle. Police said officers complained of minor aches, but there were no major injuries.
The driver of the Civic, a woman who appeared to be in her 20s, was placed under arrest after California Highway Patrol officers conducted a field sobriety test.
The police vehicle was towed from the scene on a flat bed tow truck with damage to the passenger side rear quarter panel. The liftgate latch was damaged, forcing the liftgate to remain in the open position as the vehicle was cleared from the scene.
Police Lt. Chad Morris said in an email last week that the vehicle was deemed “a total loss by the insurance adjuster.”
A December report by The Sentinel shows five additional vehicles were approved for replacement in addition to the one involved in the collision. Police said the vehicles have high mileage and require frequent repairs. The total amount allocated to replace all six vehicles is $417,000.
