TOP TROOPER HAS MINOR ACCIDENT - Report Content "Blacked Out"

(09/05/2002)
West Virginia's top State Police Trooper Howard Hill had a minor accident exiting State Police Headquarters last Saturday, striking a 1999 GMC pick-up owned by Susan Snider.

Hill told The Charleston Gazette he was embarrassed by the accident, which produced no injuries.

Attempting to learn about the wreck, The Gazette received a report filed by Major B. D. Gore, chief of the agencies internal affairs.

State Police blacked out the addresses, ages, driver's licenses numbers, social security numbers, license plate numbers, vehicle ID numbers and insurance policy numbers for Col. Hill and the other party.

It was unclear why such precautions were taken over what is generally an accident report available to the public.