Wrong-way car hits police

Two Tempe police officers were struck by a wrongway driver on State Route 51 Monday, hospitalizing the officers and hurting the wrong-way driver.

Two Tempe police officers were struck by a wrong-way driver on State Route 51 on Monday, hospitalizing the officers and leaving the wrong-way driver with serious injuries, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The incident occurred near the Indian School Road exit at about 1:45 a.m. on Monday when a red Corvette smashed into an on-duty Tempe police sergeant who was driving a marked police vehicle into Phoenix to

follow up on an investigation, according to Detective Greg Bacon of Tempe Police.

The engine of the red Corvette separated on impact.

The initial collision caused another crash with a Tempe police officer’s vehicle; the officer was heading to the same location as the sergeant in a separate vehicle, officials said.

The sergeant reportedly sustained injuries that were not life threatening while the officer suffered minor injuries, Bacon said. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment; their identities were not being released at this time.

The driver of the Corvette was seriously injured and also taken to the hospital. DPS said impairment is expected to be a factor in the collision.

Bacon said the Tempe police officers were not traveling with sirens or emergency lights on and were not in any kind of pursuit or emergency driving at the time of the incident.

The northbound lanes of the SR 51 near Indian School Road were closed for several hours following the collision but both lanes reopened around 6:45 a.m. on Monday, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

No further information was immediately available.