by: Donald Cyphers

Syndicated by: Montana News

Billings Police K-9 officer Jim Nyquist narrowly escaped from being injured yesterday at about 5:15 in the afternoon.

Officer Jim Nyquist was driving Billings Patrol car #1560 with his k-9 patrol dog in  the back seat.

As Officer Jim Nyquist was entering the freeway on the South Billings entry ramp headed East bound, a Semi was in the right lane headed East bound also.

As Officer Jim Nyquist was approaching the ramp he observed a Semi  on his left hand drivers side.

 The Semi moved over from the right lane to the left freeway lane, suddenly Officer Jim Nyquist had a vehicle right in front of him going at a slower pace. Both the Semi and Officer Jim Nyquist tried to avoid the vehicle that was traveling at a much slower pace.

Officer Jim Nyquist immediately drove into the barrow pit on the right hand side of his car and traveled at least 500 feet down the barrow pit  headed East bound, trying to slow down and keep control of his patrol car.

According to a Montana News  Police department Source,  the vehicle was caught on the patrol car's "Watchman" car camera.  (Billings Police no longer use the I-Cop system.)

Further investigation will take place as the video footage will be downloaded at the station and looked at with a larger screen to determine if the camera caught a license plate number on the vehicle that was traveling slower.

Both the Police dog and Officer Jim  Nyquist were not injured in the accident, but Officer Jim  Nyquist did seem  shaken as he was standing by his patrol car explaining to responding Officers what just took place.

Patrol car #1560 that he was driving, has about 90,000 plus miles on it and is one of the older Patrol vehicles.

The damaged to the car was enough to total the vehicle out.

Officer Jim Nyquist ran over a wooden don't litter sign, and  hit  a state highway sign.  

His Patrol car became  in-tangled underneath it with debris.

 In speaking with the Department, after the video is looked at and the investigation report is turned in to the department, Internal affairs will take over regarding action if any, is taken against Officer Jim Nyquist, to see  if he was at fault entirely or in part or innocent.