CHP motorcycle officer injured after being hit by car on Bay Bridge

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A CHP officer is in the hospital after being hit on the Bay Bridge Wednesday morning just past the toll plaza. He was on his motorcycle and stationed on the bridge to watch for carpool violators.

"In the process of stopping someone for the carpool violation, a vehicle was either slow rolling or stopped in the number three lane and saw the carpool lane was open and flowing and decided to cross over the continuators into the carpool lane. As he did so, our motor officer was in the number two lane and he was side swiped by the vehicle," explained Sgt. Mike Wright.

The officer was taken to the hospital with broken bones.

The CHP has identified the driver as 23-year-old Malik Omari Lockhart of Brentwood. He was not charged for anything involving the accident. But he was arrested for a weapon violation because of a gun he had with him.

"The highway patrol knows this is commute hours and people are anxious to get to work and they're running late. And, you know, the carpool lane is tempting to get into to make up some time. However the carpool lanes are established and separated from other traffic for obvious reasons," the sergeant said.

This is just another reminder to the officers about the dangers of their job. They are currently wearing black bands on their badges to remember the CHP officer who was shot and killed in Riverside earlier this week during a traffic stop.

"It is frustrating. We don't like to see anybody get hurt, especially one of our own, especially in lieu of one of our officers getting killed recently. Unfortunately, it is part of our job it is a dangerous job at times. We are here to protect everybody and make sure that doesn't happen again," he said.

The officer who was hurt is described as a very competent officer and a very good rider who likes to work enforcement on the Bay Bridge. He is said to be in a lot of pain and is expected to survive.