Firefighter-rescue personnel removed a door to extricate a police officer from a heavily damaged patrol vehicle after a collision during a pursuit Monday morning in southeast Los Angeles County.
The South Gate Police Department officer, who was responding to assist other officers in the pursuit, was hospitalized Monday morning after the 3 a.m. crash with a stolen pickup near Truba and Kansas avenues, about 10 minutes southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Firefighter-rescue personnel removed part of the vehicle to extricate the officer.
The pursuit driver was taken into custody at the scene of the crash. Witnesses said other officers pinned the subject on the sidewalk as firefighters attempted to rescue the trapped officer.
"I heard a loud bang," said resident Edgar Padilla. "It looked pretty serious. There were a lot of police officers trying to get (the officer) out of there."
The pursuit driver and officer were in stable condition, according to a police department statement.
Both vehicles were towed from the street early Monday.
