3 injured when cruiser, car collide

July 14, 1998|By KERRY LYNN FRALEY

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A Martinsburg City Police officer, another adult and two children were injured Monday night in an accident involving a police cruiser and a car on South Queen Street, according to police and hospital officials.

The accident happened around 9 p.m., according to Martinsburg Police Sgt. John McMillen.

The officer, whom police wouldn't identify, was heading north on South Queen Street to back up another officer who was chasing a motorist. The motorist fled on foot during a traffic stop and was wanted on several warrants, he said.

The dark red Plymouth came onto South Queen Street from West South Street, McMillen said.

Cpl. Brian Yost was in the process of reconstructing the chain of events at press time and no further details were available.

The police cruiser, its windshield smashed and front end crumpled in, appeared to have hit a utility pole on the northeast corner of the intersection.

It came to rest facing the pole in the northbound lane of South Queen Street, its bumper on the other side of the pole on the ground.

The Plymouth, bearing a West Virginia tag, came to rest facing northeast, almost a block north of the police car on the lawn in front of 414 S. Queen St.

The officer and three occupants of the vehicle were taken to City Hospital in Martinsburg, according to McMillen. He said he was unsure how many people were in the car at the time.

There were no fatalities, he said.

A 32-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman and two minors involved in the accident were being evaluated in the City Hospital emergency room at press time, according to a nursing supervisor.

According to witnesses, the officer had his emergency lights on at the time of the accident.

Neighborhood residents said they heard a loud noise and felt their homes shake from an impact.

"He only had his siren on for a split second then we heard a boom. It was scary," said Angie Callahan, 24, of 122 W. South St.

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