Wake deputy injured while helping motorist on I-40

A Wake County sheriff's deputy was injured when a vehicle hit his cruiser after he stopped to help a disabled motorist on Interstate 40 early Monday.

Trooper C.J. Alston said the deputy was pulled over on the side of I-40 East, between Aviation Parkway and Harrison Avenue, around 2 a.m. when a third vehicle slammed into the rear driver's side of his cruiser.

The deputy and driver were injured, but both are expected to be OK, Alston said. The disabled motorist wasn't injured.

Alston said the driver was checking directions on a GPS system and wasn't paying attention before he struck the cruiser.