Georgia motorcycle officer injured after assisting with Harris motorcade

A Georgia police officer sustained “serious injuries” in a motorcycle crash Wednesday evening while he was assisting in the motorcade for Vice President Harris, the Savannah Police Department said in a statement Thursday.

The incident, which took place around 7 p.m. EDT, was a “single-vehicle accident,” police said, meaning no other vehicle was involved in the crash.

Savannah Police Cpl. David Bates was subsequently transported to a local hospital, Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he continued to undergo treatment on Thursday, according to the statement. He is in stable condition.

“The Savannah Police Department is supporting Corporal Bates and his family as he begins his recovery from injuries sustained in this vehicle accident,” Savannah Police Chief Lenny Gunther said in a statement. “We will be by his side every step of the way.”

The special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Atlanta Field Office, Frederick Houston, said the Secret Service “is aware of an incident that occurred during a motorcade movement yesterday,” in a statement included in the press release.

“The movement was not affected by the incident,” Houston continued. “We are thankful for the support of our law enforcement partners and wish Corporal David Bates a full and speedy recovery.”

Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), embarked on a two-day bus tour on Wednesday through southeast Georgia as part of an effort to reach voters in more rural pockets of the battleground state.

The visit to Georgia marks the first time Harris and Walz traveled to the pivotal battleground state together. Harris earlier this month spoke in Atlanta to a crowd of thousands prior to selecting a running mate.

“The Vice President and Governor were grateful to hear that Corporal Bates is doing okay,” a spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign said in a statement. “They are thankful for his service and wish him a quick recovery.”

Story was updated at 6:44 p.m. ET