Anthony Coniglio, an officer with the Concord Police Department in Northern California, was directing traffic around a DUI-related collision about 2 a.m. yesterday morning when a pickup truck came speeding toward him and his patrol car that was parked behind him.
Coniglio’s K-9 partner, Hancock, was inside that patrol car.
When Coniglio realized the driver wasn’t going to stop, in an instant he made the decision to risk his own life and save his partner. Within seconds, was able to get inside his patrol car and move it about two feet.
The truck crashed into the driver’s side of the patrol car, but thanks to Coniglio’s quick thinking, both he and Hancock survived with only moderate injuries.
“It’s with certainty that we know if Officer Coniglio was not able to move his patrol vehicle, he and K-9 Hancock would have sustained serious injury or death,” the Concord Police Department wrote on its Facebook page yesterday.
The driver of the truck, Angel Carrera-Lopez — who was on probation for a previous DUI — was arrested for suspicion of DUI, treated and taken to the Martinez Detention Facility.
After being treated at hospitals for their injuries, “K-9 Officer Coniglio and Hancock are both resting at home and doing well,” the police department wrote.
“Thank you to all the concerned citizens who called and sent cards this morning. We have a wonderful community!”
Concord is lucky to have a wonderful police officer like Coniglio as well.
Photo via Concord Police Department Facebook page