Two cops and a civilian were injured Monday evening after a New York City Police Department cruiser collided with another vehicle while pursuing criminals, sources close to the investigation told amNewYork Metro.
The dramatic incident occurred just before 5 p.m. near 13th Street and University Place, where the roadway was left covered in broken glass and debris — and the police cruiser was left totaled.
The entire front of the squad car sat demolished Monday night, with the bumper hanging loose and airbags deployed inside. The driver’s side of the other vehicle, a white SUV, was also caved in.
Police sources say the incident is still under investigation, but authorities currently believe the accident took place as the officers were responding to a crime. While the exact nature of the crime was not immediately clear, police say three men have been apprehended following the crash.
A source close to the investigation also revealed that one of the three suspects attempted to make a run for it while handcuffed, leading to a chase, but the source did not confirm whether or not this was the cause of the crash.
An officer is reportedly injured after a collision on 13th Street and University Place. #NYPD pic.twitter.com/aniVfvCF9a
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) February 20, 2023
One bruised officer was fitted with a neck brace in the back of an ambulance at the scene before both officers were rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where they remain in stable condition. A third victim, a civilian, also suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. It is not immediately clear how the civilian was injured.
“I heard it, it sounded like a gigantic bang,” one neighbor told amNewYork Metro.
Members of Lower Manhattan’s 6th Precinct cordoned off the area, where they were still investigating the circumstances of the crash around 6 p.m.
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