Hero cop critically injured: Hit-run taxi smashes into car, police say

CAMDEN — A police officer hailed for his bravery earlier this month is now hospitalized with serious injuries.

Thursday night, Officer Joseph Mair was stuck by a hit-and-run driver as he exited his patrol vehicle. He was hospitalized in the intensive care unit with critical and "significant" injuries to his hips and legs.

On April 7, Mair had been among officers hailed for pulling two men out of a burning car on Route 676. They also freed two men from an SUV that was involved in the crash.

Camden County Police Chief Scott Thompson told the Courier-Post that the vehicle that hit Mair on Thursday was a cab leaving the scene of another crash.  A witness told 6 ABC Action News that the fleeing cab came to a stop after hitting a wall.

The driver of the cab was treated for injuries but had not been charged Friday night.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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