County police officer has been charged with reckless driving
after he hit a car, seriously injuring a man, while speeding 68 mph without his
cruiser's lights or sirens on.
Officer Pshko Siteki was responding to a disorderly conduct
call about 10:30 a.m. Feb. 18 when he crashed into a minivan turning from
Leesburg Pike to Patrick Henry Drive in Falls Church, police said.
Siteki, who has been with the department for two years, was speeding
68 mph in a 40-mph zone but did not have his emergency equipment on, according
to police.
Both he and the 53-year-old man driving the minivan were
taken to a hospital. The civilian received extensive injuries and, five months
later, is still recovering.
Siteki was served a summons on Tuesday and placed on paid
leave pending a court appearance, Police Chief Edwin Roessler announced
Tuesday.
"We take the safety of our officers and members of this
community very seriously," Roessler said in a statement. "That is why
an Internal Affairs investigation was quickly launched to determine the
circumstances surrounding this incident."
The officer's police cruiser had a video system, but the
video was destroyed in the crash.
Siteki is due in court in September.