Two Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers from the Newton Division suffered injuries earlier today when a suspected drunk driver struck them. The incident occurred during duty, shedding light on the occupational hazards of law enforcement, particularly for officers handling DUI cases. Hoodline provided full coverage of the incident.
The clash took place after a pursuit of what was believed to be a stolen vehicle, with the officers following the suspect in the vicinity of Washington Boulevard and Maple Avenue. After attempting to pull the suspect over, the driver fled, leading them to Downtown Lynwood, according to an LAPD News Release on Twitter. Upon catching the suspect, officials discovered narcotics and an unregistered firearm in the stolen vehicle, which resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Jose Alinado, a resident of Compton.
LAPD News: LAPD Officers Injured by DUI Driver pic.twitter.com/T9gCHQhSQU
— LAPD PIO (@LAPDPIO) November 21, 2023
During the chase, the officers noticed the suspect discarding an item from the vehicle. This observation led in part to turn back to the 57 Freeway near the Yorba Linda exit to inspect the thrown item. While doing so, they experienced the "violent hit" by a suspected DUI driver when they were stationary in their patrol vehicle, a scene described by Hoodline.
The two injured officers and the DUI suspect were immediately taken to the UCI Medical Center for treatment. Sources indicate that both officers are expected to make a full recovery, with no life-threatening harm being reported.
Despite being commonly viewed as mere statistics, DUI cases, such as the incident with LAPD officers, underscore the imminent danger they pose to both the community and law enforcement personnel. Following the incident, northbound lanes on the 57 Freeway were closed, reopening a single lane around 5:45 a.m. as reported by Hoodline.
