A Miami Police officer and another driver who crashed in downtown Miami were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition Friday, authorities said.
At about 3:50 p.m. Miami Police spotted a dark silver, 1999-2000 Nissan Maxima, which they believe was involved in a recent armed robbery, in the area of Northeast 1st Avenue and 17th Street.
Police said they pursued the suspect Nissan for a minutes. The officer who crashed was joining in on the chase when he collided with a four-door white car at Northwest 12th Avenue and 29th Street.
He was driving along 29th Street and flicked on his emergency lights as he approached the intersection, and started to move through the intersection when the crash happened, witness Maryura Avia said.
Avia, who works at a nearby restaurant, said the police cruiser wasn’t speeding, but didn’t see the other car coming. It was driven by a civilian, authorities said.
“And the other car was coming too fast, so it couldn’t stop,” Avia said.
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The front of the police cruiser was crumpled. The second car was not as badly damaged.
“Both the officer and the other driver are in stable condition, and they are expected to be OK. They were transported to trauma just for precautionary measures, but they are gonna be OK, luckily,” Miami Police spokesman Officer Rene Pimentel said. “So unfortunately, also, we lost the vehicle.”
Several police patrol cars were at the hospital as fellow officers checked in on the injured officer.
The robbery suspect got away.
The intersection was shut down for a couple of hours before it re-opened.
