A collision involving two BART police cars occurred near the West Oakland BART station yesterday afternoon, sending a total of four people to the hospital, including three BART police officers. "It was like a big, erupted noise. Kinda of like a skirt, and then you heard a 'boom!'" Jenise Green, a witness of the accident, told ABC7 News. The collision notably took place around 2:45 p.m. at the intersection of Mandela Parkway and 7th Street, as reported by the Oakland Fire Department.
Michael Hunt of the Oakland Fire Department, who was on the scene, shared, "There were four patients transported for injuries, three law enforcement and one civilian." This incident temporarily disrupted traffic and raised concerns about public safety in the high-traffic area. Further, an unrelated incident involving an individual suffering from an overdose was concurrently addressed by emergency services at the same BART station, according to a statement obtained by The Mercury News.
The cause of the crash is currently unclear, and BART's media office has not yet commented on the incident. The severity of the injuries sustained in the crash was still unknown. The involvement of alcohol or drugs as a contributing factor has not been ruled out. Resident Igor Dulkin remarked via ABC7 News about the accident, "People got to slow down when they drive in West Oakland," highlighting ongoing concerns about traffic safety in the area.
Residents describe the intersection across from the West Oakland BART station as busy and prone to incidents, with drivers often speeding through. "I was in the BART station at the time. Heard a very loud noise. Saw it from the top. There were two cars, one police car. The car that hit (the police) had run into the bus stop here. And collided with the pillars," Dulkin explained to ABC7 News, although official statements later clarified it was two police vehicles involved.
