A car smashed into a police car parked during a traffic stop early this morning in the East Side neighborhood, starting a chain reaction that left nine people injured, authorities said.
About 12:20 a.m., a southbound Nissan Altima struck an unmarked squad car conducting a traffic stop in the 10200 block of South Indianapolis Avenue, Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro said.
The squad car was pushed into a Chevrolet Tahoe it had pulled over, and a marked squad car assisting with the traffic stop was also struck, Alfaro said.
Nine people were hurt in the crash, said Chief Juan Hernandez, a spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department. Three were taken in serious-to-critical condition to local hospitals, and five were taken in fair-to-serious condition. One person declined medical attention.
The injured included four police officers, Alfaro said.
The conditions of all those hurt were stabilized, police and fire officials said.
Police have taken the Altima's driver into custody, Alfaro said. The cause of the crash remains unknown.
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McClatchy-Tribune News Service
