Suffolk police officer hit by alleged drunk driver in medically induced coma

The 35-year-old suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain after police say William Petersohn, 38, drove drunk and barreled into an accident scene.

News 12 Staff

Nov 4, 2021, 9:16 PM

Updated 1,129 days ago

Share:

The Suffolk County police officer who was hit by an alleged drunk driver in Yaphank Tuesday is now in a medically induced coma.
Officer Tim Thrane is at Stony Brook University Hospital surrounded by his family and fellow officers. The 35-year-old suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain after police say William Petersohn, 38, drove drunk and barreled into an accident scene.
Police say Thrane was handling traffic control at the intersection of William Floyd Parkway and Yaphank Woods Boulevard at approximately 12 a.m. when he was struck by Petersohn's truck.
"You never really know what's going to happen, your head is always on a swivel, anything can happen at any moment, especially when people are drunk on the road," says Charles Hutter, of the Suffolk Police Department.
Thrane has worked at the 7th Precinct for three years and has a wife and three kids.
"He's always talking about his wife and kids, going out with them, whether it's a local farm, just getting ice cream, playing with the kids in the yard, anything he does with the family, he's a true family man," says Officer Charles Hutter, who works with Thrane at the 7th Precinct.
Petersohn, of Mastic, faced a judge Thursday and didn't have to post bail. He was given supervised release. DWI is a non-cash bail offense, and Petersohn had no prior criminal convictions. Once Petersohn is released from the hospital, he will report for probation in Central Islip.