A Peoria police officer was hospitalized Saturday after being struck by a car while responding to an earlier hit-and-run crash.
According to a news release from Illinois State Police (ISP), a car driven by a 50-year-old Peoria man was traveling west on War Memorial Drive near University Street when the vehicle left the road and sideswiped a Peoria Police Department squad car, rear-ended an SUV and hit the police officer.
Both of the vehicles were parked on the left shoulder. The police car’s emergency lights were activated. The crash happened around 8:37 p.m.
The 31-year-old police officer, a four-year veteran of the Peoria police force, was transported to an area hospital, said state police. His injuries are not considered life threatening.
ISP said the driver of the car was taken by ambulance to an area hospital. His condition is not known. The SUV driver, a 20-year-old man from Washington, Ill., refused medical attention.
No citations have been issued. State police said an investigation continues, though the agency referred to the incident as a Scott’s Law crash. That refers to the Illinois law that requires drivers to change lanes when possible when they see flashing emergency lights on the side of the road.
