by KYW's Ian Bush
Two 24th district Philadelphia police officers were in the hospital -- one listed in critical condition -- after an SUV plowed into them early Sunday morning during a traffic stop in Bridesburg.
Officer Richard Hayes (above left), 28, suffered serious head injuries. He was placed in a drug-induced coma at Aria Hospital in Torresdale:
"With the kind of head injury that he sustained, the first 48-72 hours are the most critical. So right now, he's in ICU. He's under constant monitoring, and we'll just pray that he comes out of this OK."
Police commissioner Charles Ramsey says officer George Higginson (above right), 25, is at Hahnemann Hospital, where he was expected to make a full recovery:
"We're very fortunate that the officers weren't killed right there at the scene. It was a pretty violent accident."
But Ramsey says the whole incident may have been the result of suspects driving under the influence.
Police went to the 4200 block of Aramingo Avenue after reports of street racing. They pulled over a motorist under suspicion of DUI. That's when an SUV, believed to be speeding, hit them.
The driver, 20-year-old John Cusick of Bristol (Bucks County), Pa. (right) was in custody on DUI and aggravated assault charges.
Meanwhile, the handcuffed suspect made a run for it, perhaps by kicking out the cruiser's window. Police also caught up with him.
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