Woman crashes into police car, gets escorted to hospital to visit ill son

Helen “Skeeter” Smith, 87, was making the 350-mile trip from southern Nevada to Ogden, Utah, as fast as she could to see her gravely ill son in the hospital.

In central Utah, a trooper pulled over Smith for passing a stopped police car with its lights on and gave her a warning. When Smith tried to ease back onto the interstate, however, she accidentally reversed and ran into Trooper Jeff Jones’ patrol car.

Smith then told Jones why she was in such a rush.

"Then she started crying and told me about (her son’s) condition and what treatment he was under and how they had moved him to ICU. I said, ‘I don’t feel comfortable letting you drive.’ She was almost in hysterics about not being able to go," said Jones.

So Jones had Smith’s car moved to a secure location — then he coordinated a series of rides to get her to Oregon.

"She needed to get there," Jones told USA Network.

First, Jones drove Smith to Juab Country, where Trooper Jared Jensen met them and drove Smith to Utah County.

Trooper Chris Bishop picked her up in Utah County and continued the trip until Salt Lake County. There, Trooper Andrew Pollard met Smith and drove her all the way to Ogden Regional Medical Center.

"She was very excited to tell me about her dogs, her cat, and her hometown," Pollard, who is new to the Utah Highway Patrol, told KUTV. ”To hold her hand walking into the hospital was very, very rewarding.”

"I ended up taking four patrol cars," Smith said, grateful for her chauffeurs. “Four good-lookin’ patrol boys brought me.”

Smith made it to the hospital in time to see her son. According to a spokesman for the Utah Department of Public Safety, he was moved to hospice care on Tuesday. Smith is still by her son’s side.