North Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Troy Hischer has been put on administrative leave after he allegedly drove on the wrong side of a highway for about four minutes the night of the fatal train-bus collision in Larimore, N.D., in January.
Investigators with the Highway Patrol said Hischer traveled westbound in the eastbound lane of U.S. Highway 2 between Arvilla, N.D., and Larimore for more than 4 miles. At least two 911 calls were received about the patrol car traveling the wrong way. Highway Patrol attributed the mishap to distracted driving, saying Hischer was on his cell phone talking with commanders and fielding calls from the media.
Hischer has been placed on leave until an investigation by the Highway Patrol is complete. No time frame has been released for when the report may be done.
The patrol's internal investigation includes determining why supervisors were never notified about the incident. It wasn't brought to their attention until last month when an open records request for State Radio transcripts was made by www.sayanythingblog.com .
