April 12, 2023 When a Willowick officer spotted a stolen car that was being pursued by police, the suspect drove toward the officer at high speeds, colliding with his cruiser.
By Cliff Pinckard Source cleveland.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WILLOWICK, OH—A Willowick police officer managed to chase down a suspect early Tuesday morning after his patrol car was hit head-on during a chase of a vehicle that had been reported stolen.
Police say officers were alerted by the FLOCK camera system that a stolen vehicle was near the city’s border with Eastlake. An officer driving east on Willowick Drive spotted the vehicle driving toward him at high speeds after it reportedly fled from police in Eastlake.
The suspected stolen car was being driven recklessly, police say, and ended up hitting the patrol car head-on, disabling both vehicles. According to police, the driver of the stolen vehicle tried to run from the area but he was quickly caught by the officer whose patrol car was hit.
The officer, whose identity was not released, was taken to a hospital for treatment. He was later allowed to go home, police say.
The driver of the stolen vehicle and a passenger both were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not available Tuesday night. The identities of the suspects have not been released, but police say charges are pending.