The officer was outside his patrol car responding to a call of low-hanging wires near the intersection of South Main Street and River Road in Cohasset when he heard a loud snap nearby and watched as a giant tree fell toward him.
The officer, who was not named, sprinted away from the tree's path and narrowly avoided being hit. The passenger side of his patrol cruiser was not as fortunate.
The tree crushed the cruiser. The officer was uninjured. Heavy rains and high winds from Hurricane Lee likely caused the tree to topple.
"We dodged a tragedy today, and I'm so thankful that the officer is OK," Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley said in a news release. "This incident is an excellent example of why we always encourage people to stay indoors during these storm events."
Click here to follow Daily Voice Amherst and receive free news updates.