A Memphis Police Department officer was unharmed after his squad car collided with a Dodge Charger, whose driver ran a red light at South Cleveland Street and Union Avenue early today. The incident occurred just before 12:30 a.m., and the man driving the Dodge Charger was sent to the hospital with non-critical injuries, as reported by Action News 5.
The investigation by MPD indicated the Dodge Charger was speeding through the intersection as the police SUV entered on a green light, resulting in the collision; the Charger then spun out and hit a metal utility pole which added to the sequence of the crash though no major injuries were reported, according to Local Memphis. MPD cited the driver of the Charger with numerous traffic violations, including running the red light, driving without a license, lack of financial responsibility, not wearing a seatbelt, and infringements related to state registration. Additionally, a passenger in the Charger fled the crash site but was later cited for leaving the scene.
Further details from FOX13 Memphis highlight that the passenger in the Charger refused medical treatment following the incident. MPD has been actively monitoring and reporting on vehicular incidents involving their officers, and so far in 2024, there have been 315 crashes involving MPD vehicles, out of which officers have been found not at fault in 209 cases.
