Captain Pat Jenkins, interim chief of the Aurora Police Department, is still awaiting news of how an incident on January 29 will impact the department’s budget. 

Two police vehicles sustained damage when local officers answered a call from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department for assistance in investigating a burglary in progress at Murfin’s Market in Marionville.

Two Aurora officers responded at approximately 5:30 a.m. They drove around behind the store, where they saw a bucket truck from a tree trimming business with a safe hanging from the bucket. Officials later determined the truck had been stolen.

When the driver of the truck saw the police cars, he accelerated toward them, striking one directly, according to a report from Capt.  Jenkins. The other car sustained minor damage. Neither officer was injured, a fact for which Capt. Jenkins expressed relief.

The driver of the truck fled the scene. Officers found the  truck abandoned a short time later. The suspect fled the vehicle on foot, with his tracks in the snow showing a southerly direction of travel. Officials followed the tracks until the still-falling snow obscured them, noted Capt. Jenkins.

One of the vehicles received damage to the rear quarter panel and tail lights. Department personnel used parts from the second, more severely damaged car to keep the first one serviceable.

Earlier today, Capt. Jenkins said the insurance adjuster has yet to see the more severely damaged vehicle to give an estimate on the cost of repairs. Damage was to the front, windshield and roof.

Area law enforcement officials are continuing their investigation into an incident.