LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A California Highway Patrol officer suffered major injuries today when she was hit by an SUV while trying to take a pedestrian into custody on the Santa Monica (10) Freeway in the Arlington Heights area.
The officer, assigned to the CHP Central Area office, was injured about 7:15 a.m. west of Arlington Avenue and was taken to a hospital, the CHP reported.
According to the CHP, the officer was sent to the westbound 10 Freeway on a report of a pedestrian on the roadway, and she saw the man walking near the center divider.
“The officer exited her patrol vehicle and gave the pedestrian verbal commands to stop,'' according to a CHP statement. “The pedestrian ignored her commands and jumped over the center divider wall attempting to flee by running within the ... eastbound lanes.''
The officer, whose name was not released, chased the man on foot in an effort to safely remove him from traffic.
“Before the officer could reach the pedestrian, she was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound within the No. 1 lane,'' the CHP reported. “The pedestrian was apprehended by motorists who observed the incident, and was then placed under arrest.''
The pedestrian, who was not immediately identified, was not injured.
The driver of the GMC Yukon that hit the officer was not arrested, the CHP reported.
Some lanes of the freeway in both directions were closed while an investigation was conducted.
Copyright 2021, City News Service, Inc.