Two Los Angeles Police Department officers were hospitalized after their patrol car was hit on the 57 Freeway in Fullerton Tuesday morning.
It happened around 2 a.m. LAPD Chief Michel Moore said during a press conference the officers were searching for a possible weapon that had been tossed out by a suspect during a pursuit that took place earlier.
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“These officers were essentially scanning the roadway from seated within their vehicles with spotlights, with all their lighting equipment on when they were violently struck,” he said.
The officers were hit by a woman driving an Infiniti. LAPD said she struck the patrol car from behind. She was hospitalized with moderate injuries. California Highway Patrol said she was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Moore added he spoke with both officers at the hospital and they’re both stable.
“They are both conscious,” he said. “There are bumps and bruises, [and a] significant laceration to the passenger's head from this collision, but they are expected to make a full recovery,” he said.
The pursuit occurred around midnight when officers from the LAPD’s Newton Division were trying to stop a suspected stolen car in Lynwood. The pursuit continued down the Orange Freeway. The suspect was eventually arrested in La Puente,
Following the collision, the 57 Freeway north was closed as the investigation into the crash continued.
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