York County Commissioner Chris Reilly unhurt in crash with state police

York County Commissioner Chris Reilly on Thursday got an endorsement bump from local Fraternal Order of Police lodges 15 and 73.

Later that day, the York Township Republican got a much more literal bump from law enforcement when a state police cruiser crashed into his Chevrolet Impala.

As the state police report stated, Reilly, who's just fine after the crash, told The York Dispatch he was heading south on Roosevelt Avenue in York City shortly after 10 p.m., when he began to go through a green light at the road's intersection with Madison Avenue.

As he did so, Trooper Joshua Koach, sitting in a state police cruiser facing west at the red light, threw on his lights and siren and accelerated through the light, on his way to an "urgent call."

Koach's cruiser struck Reilly's car on the driver's side door, knocking the commissioner's vehicle west before it came to a stop, according to the release. The cruiser went southwest, where it hit a tree, police say.

Unhurt: The release from police says both men were indeed belted in, and neither was injured.

"It was pretty low-speed impact," the commissioner said. "I'm good. I was wearing my seat belt, and apparently that works."

His car didn't sustain too much damage, he said — just a big dent in the door.

State police spokesman Trooper Rob Hicks said neither driver will be cited.

He said Lt. Nicole Palmer, commander of the state police barracks in Loganville, gave him a call after the crash to make sure he was okay.

He took the opportunity to compliment the state police on the solidity of their cruisers.

"I said, 'I never noticed your cars had those cow-catchers on them,'" he said with a chuckle.

Reilly, an incumbent county commissioner who is one of five people seeking the three county commissioner seats, said the call was a nice gesture.

"I'm just glad everybody's okay," he said. "Accidents happen."

— Reach Sean Cotter at scotter@yorkdispatch.com.