A possible drunk driver struck a Chicago Police Department cruiser Wednesday, causing his vehicle to flip on its side and take out a traffic light in Jefferson Park on the North Side.
About 12:15 a.m., a 38-year-old male driver of a 2019 Kia was driving west on Lawrence Avenue when he blew through a red light and struck a CPD vehicle that was headed south on Central Avenue, Chicago police said.
The man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge in critical condition, Chicago fire officials said. He has since been stabilized, according to police.
Two officers from the CPD vehicle were taken to the same hospital in good condition, fire officials said.
The incident appears to be alcohol-related, police said. The driver of the Kia is being investigated for a possible DUI.
The fallen traffic light continued to blink as another Chicago police vehicle waited for cleanup crews to arrive. The Kia’s windshield could be seen lying on the ground alongside the police cruiser’s bumper.
