U.S. Senator, Police Officer Hurt in Separate Crashes

A senator from Kansas was injured Friday when his car collided with another vehicle in Fairfax County, authorities said. A Fairfax police officer was hospitalized the same day after a separate crash, police said.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R) suffered a fractured wrist in the collision, which occurred about 11 a.m. while he was driving in the Alexandria section of Fairfax, a spokeswoman for the senator said.

The aide, Sarah Little, said no citation was issued to Roberts, 71, or the driver of the other car, who apparently did not require medical attention.

Roberts went to a hospital by ambulance; his left arm was placed in a splint and eventually a cast. Roberts is right-handed, Little said.

The collision occurred in the Belle Haven area, near Roberts's home. Little said she did not know if he was on his way to the Senate, where he is in his second term. He served eight House terms.

In the other incident, about 11:20 a.m., a Fairfax officer struck the concrete base of a light pole in the 3400 block of North Beauregard Street in Alexandria while going to aid another officer. Police said the best routes on some Fairfax calls might cross Alexandria.

An Alexandria police spokeswoman said the officer, who was not immediately named, might have left the road while trying to avoid a vehicle that was in front of him. A Fairfax police spokesman said he could not immediately confirm that the officer was reacting to the vehicle.

The officer remained in a hospital yesterday for observation, the spokesman said.