Two Chicago Police Officers Injured in Lakeview Crash

Early Monday morning in Lakeview, two Chicago police officers were seriously injured when a stolen vehicle collided with their squad car. The incident occurred as officers were searching for suspects involved in an auto break-in in the Edgewater neighborhood.

According to police dispatch records, a 911 caller reported witnessing two men from a larger group breaking into a car near Balmoral and Winthrop Avenues in Edgewater around 2:45 a.m. Responding officers then observed three vehicles, including the stolen Hyundai Elantra, fleeing from the scene.

The crash took place at approximately 2:56 a.m. in the 3600 block of North Racine Avenue as officers were actively searching for the suspects’ vehicles.

Police stated that a marked CPD squad car was traveling south on Racine Avenue when the stolen Hyundai ran a stop sign and collided with the police vehicle at the intersection. The impact of the crash caused the squad car to veer onto the sidewalk and hit a tree, while the Elantra continued forward and struck three parked vehicles.

Both officers inside the squad car sustained serious injuries and were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for treatment. The driver of the stolen Hyundai, an 18-year-old male, was found unresponsive at the scene and also transported to the hospital. He is now in police custody with pending criminal charges and traffic citations.

Initial investigations revealed that the Hyundai had a peeled steering column and was using a license plate registered to a different vehicle, indicating it was likely stolen. The Major Accident Investigation Unit of the CPD is handling the case.

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