Two Los Angeles Police Department officers were hospitalized with minor injuries after their patrol vehicle was struck during a collision in South Los Angeles, resulting from a suspect's reckless driving incident that unfolded in the Vermont Square neighborhood, KTLA reports. The chase began around 12:10 a.m. near the intersection of West 41st Street and South Figueroa Street when a driver was spotted speeding without headlights.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, which confirmed the details to KTLA, the pursuit ended swiftly, soon after initiating the officers encountered a sudden crash, the suspect crashed into an LAPD vehicle that was not directly involved in the chase at West 42nd Street and Hoover Street. Video from the scene showed the suspect's vehicle had rammed into the passenger side of the police car. The intersection of 42nd and Hoover was closed following the incident, as the investigation continued into the early morning hours.
CBS News further detailed that the two injured officers, members of the LAPD's Southwest Division, were transported in stable condition to a local hospital; however, directly following the incident, the reason for the initial pursuit remained unclear. The driver, whose behavior prompted the chase, was taken into custody without sustaining injuries.
The specifics of the crash are still under investigation.
