By Kenton Mayfield –

On Saturday night at about 11:27 p.m., a Northampton police officer was taken to an area hospital with a broken leg from a motor vehicle accident.

Northampton Police say that officer Knowlton was in his cruiser and on patrol on Rocky Hill Rd when another vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed, at more than 70 MPH hit the officer’s cruiser.

Officer Knowlton was traveling west on Rocky Hill Rd while the other vehicle was traveling east. NPD says that the other vehicle crossed the double yellow line and struck officer Knowlton.

Officer Knowlton, NPD says, “with a broken leg, cut himself out of his seatbelt and climbed out of the driver’s side window to render aid to the other motorist.”

NPD has not identified the driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle but says it was a female, she was not wearing her seatbelt and had to be extricated from her vehicle.

Both officer Knowlton and the other driver were taken to Baystate Hospital for their injuries.