Police: trooper's helmet saved his life in road rage accident

On the day a Detroit police officer is laid to rest, a Michigan State trooper is rushed to the hospital after he is hit by a car -- on the way to the funeral.

It appears the trooper, Ali Hammoud, was caught in the middle of a road rage incident on I-94 Friday.

While lying in a hospital bed inside St. John hospital, Hammoud, 29, is trying to stay positive after an apparent road-rage incident that  caused him to crash his motorcycle.

"He said he doesn't mind the pain," Lt. Mike Shaw said. "He said as long as he can feel that, he knows he's alive."

Hammoud is now recovering from a broken collar bone, two broken ribs and likely a broken ankle.

Police say Hammoud's helmet saved his life.

"If he wouldn't have been wearing that helmet, we're pretty sure he would've been dead," Shaw said.

Michigan State Police say Hammoud had been on his way to the funeral of fallen Detroit police Capt. Ken Steil in St. Clair Shores when a man driving a blue GMC pickup began speeding up behind a Chevrolet Malibu.

"He jets over to the center lane gets in front of the Malibu, witnesses report he either brake checks her by slamming on his brakes, she can't stop."

That Malibu crashed into Hammoud's motorcycle. As the man driving that pickup truck speeds away, Hammoud tried to stay in control only a mile and a half away from that funeral.

"He was able to hang onto it for100 yards or so until he finally lost control, went off to the side of the roadway and ended up falling down."

The driver of that Malibu, along with other witnesses, stopped to help.

So far, state police say, it's been a rough year for the young trooper.

"It's been his first year he's been with the special enforcement section," Shaw said. "He was struck once on the Southfield (freeway) a couple months ago - one that nearly wasn't as bad as this one."

Hammoud, a husband and father of two is resting with his family by his side, praying for a quick recovery.

Michigan State Police is also focusing on finding the driver of that pickup truck.

"For us, it is not even about him being a trooper," Shaw said. "The stupidity that we're starting to see from some of the drivers around this area, only care about themselves."

State police say thankfully, that other driver was not hurt and they believe the suspect, a white man who was alone, driving that blue GMC pickup truck. They are confident they will find him.

"He has plenty of opportunities to turn himself in, before we find him," Shaw said.