Originally Posted by sjmercury news.com

San Jose police officer injured by flying debris
By Tracey Kaplan
Mercury News
Article Launched: 03/21/2007 11:27:48 PM PDT

An off-duty San Jose police officer wearing street clothes and driving his own vehicle was seriously injured Wednesday night, triggering the closing of Interstate 680 between King Road and Capital Expressway for more than two hours, authorities said.

The officer, who was not identified, was struck in the face at 7:56 p.m. by an object that was either thrown from a pedestrian bridge, fell off a passing vehicle or was kicked up from the freeway, as he headed down southbound 680 near Highway 101, said San Jose Sgt. Nick Muyo.

"We don't know if it was a criminal act or a freak accident," Muyo said. "But there's nothing to indicate that if this was a criminal act that they knew he was a police officer."

The officer managed to pull over to the side of the freeway without crashing, and he initially reported that he may have been shot in the face, Muyo said.

The officer was taken to Valley Medical Center, where he was in serious but stable condition and will likely be admitted, Muyo said.

"Suffice it to say, he's very lucky to be alive," Muyo said.