Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper in Glenrock Crash Identified
The Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper involved in the crash near Glenrock on June 30th is Trooper Joel Eldred. Trooper Eldred is a 12 year veteran with the Patrol and is stationed out of Glenrock.
Eldred was responding to the "shots fired" call in Douglas with both the emergency lights and sirens activated on his Dodge Charger patrol car. While passing eastbound traffic on US 20/26 at mile post 163.63, a 2002 Jeep SUV traveling east turned left into a commercial business driveway in front of the passing patrol car. The Jeep was driven by 49 year old Jamestown, Louisiana resident Robin Belgard. Eldred braked hard and steered his patrol car into the north ditch to avoid the Jeep. Despite the trooper’s efforts to avoid a crash, the two vehicles still collided as the patrol car entered the ditch. After that, Trooper Eldred's patrol car rolled a minimum of four times. The Jeep spun around on the highway and came to rest facing west in the westbound lane of US 20/26.
Investigators are crediting Trooper Eldred's seat belt use, ballistic vest use, vehicle safety design (including airbags) and the patrol car's prisoner transport safety cage for minimizing his injuries.
Robin Belgard was treated for her injuries and was released from the hospital on June 30th.
No citations have been issued from this crash at the time of this update. Trooper Eldred is expected to be discharged from the hospital today (July 1st) and to make a full recovery from his injuries.