Authorities say a police officer was injured after a sheriff’s squad car ran a red light and crashed into a Waukegan police car in Waukegan early Monday morning.
The incident happened just after 12 a.m. Monday at Lewis Avenue and Glen Flora Avenue in Waukegan.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy was traveling northbound on Lewis Avenue searching for a stolen vehicle, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The deputy was notified of the stolen vehicle being driven in the area by a Flock automated license plate reader camera.
Covelli said it appears the deputy entered the intersection on a red light and collided with a westbound Waukegan Police Department squad car.
The deputy did not have his vehicle’s emergency lights or sirens activated at the time.
The sheriff’s deputy was uninjured but the Waukegan officer was transported by ambulance to the hospital, Covelli said.
Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Scott Chastain said that because the incident involved police cars, the Waukegan Police Department Major Crash Unit was activated to conduct a crash investigation in accordance with protocol.
Officers shut down the intersection for several hours during the investigation.
During the investigation, an intoxicated driver attempted to travel through the scene and was arrested.
Chastain said “thankfully” the vehicle did not hit anyone but the DUI driver had a two-year-old child in the car.
Priscilla Johnson, 34, of North Chicago, was arrested on driving under the influence and child endangerment charges.
Chastain said the officer who was transported to the hospital in the squad car crash suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The officer complained of minor back pain.