2 Police Cruisers Collide in Suspect Pursuit in Putnam County

Two police offers are facing a long recovery time after their cruisers hit each other at the start of a police chase. News 4 Jax reported on the incident.

They were responding to a domestic incident call that started at a convenience store. The call stated that the suspect stole the victim’s car with the victim inside. The two officers saw the car in question coming down the opposite side of the State Road 20.

When they saw the car, they attempted to turn around to pull the vehicle over, but they crashed into one another instead. The crash was strong enough that one of the officers required emergency surgery. An airlift was called to take them to Orange Park Medical Center.

They are now in serious but stable condition. The officers have multiple broken bones, including legs, one wrist, and one pelvis.

The suspect’s car was pulled over eventually and the woman rescued. The Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. Both officers are awake and talking at this point. It is unsure just how the two cars collided while making the turn.

We wish the officers a strong recovery, and we also hope that the state police investigate the crash to improve officer training. Officers are allowed to break certain traffic rules while they are on duty, but they still must make safety a top priority.