The police SUV sustained a serious side impact, injuring two officers.Portland Police Bureau
Two Portland, OR, officers were injured early Friday morning when a car occupied by two burglary suspects slammed into their patrol SUV. The car that struck the 2023 Ford Police Interceptor Utility had been reported stolen the day before.
Just before 3 a.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a burglary at a bookstore. According to the Portland Police Bureau, the responding officers located a suspect vehicle, a white 2016 Kia Optima, leaving the scene.
The officers initiated a police stop, but the driver did not pull over and was able to elude officers.
“Due to policy restrictions, officers did not pursue, but began to coordinate intervention techniques,” the Portland Police Bureau explained in a statement.
At 3:15 a.m., the suspect vehicle and the police SUV collided, injuring a field training officer and a trainee officer.
Police report both were taken by ambulance to an area hospital, were treated and released, and are now recovering at home.
“This was a terrible crash, and I’m grateful that the officers involved were not hurt worse,” said Chief Chuck Lovell. “This underscores the dangerous nature of police work, and I’m extending my gratitude to our patrol division. I wish these officers a speedy recovery.”
The two suspects in the Kia, an adult male driver and an adult female passenger, were also injured and transported to the hospital by ambulance. Police report the driver’s injuries are considered life-threatening. The passenger was seriously hurt, but her injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Officers confirmed a burglary took place at the bookstore. That investigation remains ongoing.
Related: Point of Law: Drafting Vehicle Pursuit Directives
After the impact with the suspect vehicle, the patrol unit came to rest nearby in a yard, shown in the background with lights still activated.Portland Police Bureau
