Three Chicago police officers were injured Wednesday morning when their car flipped over while swerving to avoid a stopped car on the South Side, officials said.
The crash happened shortly before 11:30 a.m. near the 7000 block of South Stony Island Avenue, police said.
Three tactical officers were responding to a call when their car lost control while trying to avoid a car and it flipped over, police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said.
The officers received an alert about a robbery in progress that later progressed to shots fired, said Melissa Stratton, the Police Department's director of news affairs. When the officers swerved to avoid another vehicle, they crashed into two light poles, she said.
One of the officers, Jameka Sherrod, 30, has been with the Police Department for seven years. Officer D'Wayne McGee, 36, has been with the police force for eight years, and Officer Brian McVey, 35, has also been on the force for eight years, Stratton said.
Sherrod was award the Police Medal in 2010 for her service when she was able to free herself from a suspect aiming a gun at her head.
The officers were first listed in serious-to-critical condition. Two were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the other to Stroger Hospital, McCarthy said. Fire officials said their injuries were not life-threatening. As of 4:45 p.m., their conditions had stabilized.
All three officers are assigned to the Area Central gang enforcement division.
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