April 21--Two Charleston police officers crashed into each other's vehicles Thursday morning while responding to a call for backup from another officer.
The crash occurred at 9:54 a.m. at the intersection of Washington Street East and Court Street, said Sgt. N. Null, deputy traffic commander for the Charleston Police Department. The officers were responding to a backup call from an officer attempting to subdue a suspect at the Hardee's on Bigley Avenue, Null said.
None of the officers involved in the situation have been identified as yet. Charleston police are still investigating the crash, Null said.
One of the officers involved in the crash was traveling west on Washington Street, while the other was traveling north on Court Street, Null said. It appears the officer on Washington Street was pulling through a green light at the intersection when he was hit "T-bone" style by the officer traveling on Court Street, Null said.
Another policeman took the officer that was driving the car on Washington Street to an area hospital, Null said. He was complaining of neck and back pain and could have sustained a mild concussion.
The other officer involved in the crash was not injured.
Null said he was not sure how fast the officers were traveling at the time of the crash. He added that officers are required to yield at stoplights even when responding to a call with their lights and sirens on.
Null was unsure if the officers had activated their safety lights and sirens when responding to the call. He pointed out that the investigation into the accident had just begun.
"We're still collecting information," he said.
Null added that Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster would be the one to decide if sanctions needed to be handed down to the officers.
Both police cruisers sustained significant damage and had to be towed from the scene.
The officer that was involved in the altercation at the Hardee's was not injured. The suspect was taken into custody. Null did not have any information on the altercation at this time.
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