Officer hit by car seriously hurt, 2 boys injured after pursuit
A Milwaukee police officer was seriously injured Tuesday night when he was struck by a squad car as he attempted to arrest a fleeing driver who crashed during a police chase on the north side, Police Chief Alfonso Morales said.
Two boys, ages 7 and 9, were among five others injured in a chain-reaction crash caused by the fleeing driver in the 3500 block of North 16th Street, Morales said during a news conference Wednesday morning. Those boys, who suffered minor injuries, were on the sidewalk and were struck by a parked car that had been pushed into their path after it was struck by a vehicle hit by the fleeing driver.
The injured Milwaukee officer is 34 years old and has five years of service with the department, Morales said. While his injuries are serious, they are not life-threatening, the chief said.
Morales gave this account, according to a video posted on social media, of what led to the chase and crashes:
Officers about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday saw a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road near North 15th Street and West Capitol Drive that matched the description of a vehicle sought in connection with a robbery. Officers approached the vehicle but the driver fled.
They pursued the vehicle and it collided at 10:39 p.m. with another vehicle, which then hit the parked car that struck the boys.
After that crash, the 34-year-old officer got out of his squad car to arrest the fleeing driver and was hit by another responding squad car.
The fleeing driver, a 28-year-old man, and a 30year-old woman who was with him were arrested, Morales said. Both suffered minor injuries in the crash.
A 40-year-old man who was driving the car that was struck by the fleeing driver suffered minor injuries.
All of the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment, Morales said.
“There are no fatalities, thanks to God,” Morales said.
He said the investigation is ongoing and that the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office was at the scene assisting with the investigation. Morales said criminal charges would be presented in the upcoming days.