Anchorage

Anchorage police cruiser damaged in Saturday crash

An Anchorage police cruiser was struck and damaged at a Midtown intersection Saturday evening while responding to an emergency call, police said Sunday.

Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Renee Oistad said the collision occurred at Northern Lights Boulevard and the New Seward Highway shortly before 8 p.m. Saturday as officers were responding to a shots-fired report that later turned out to be unfounded. The damaged police vehicle was carrying a civilian female at the time of the crash, Oistad said.

Several police cruisers were headed west on Northern Lights, against a red light, at the time of the crash. Traffic in the right and middle lanes of the northbound New Seward Highway had stopped for the officers, but Oistad said a pair of tractor-trailers in the middle lane obstructed the left lane's view entering the intersection.

"The first patrol car to reach the intersection came to a complete stop, and then slowly began to clear the intersection," Oistad wrote. "As the patrol cars were slowly making their way into the third and final lane of traffic, a small dark sedan ... came down that third lane. The officer driving the first patrol car slammed on his brakes, missing the sedan by about a foot. The sedan then hit the front side of the second patrol car."

Oistad said the passenger in the vehicle, who had been conducting a "ride-along" with the officer, was the only person to report any potential injury in the crash.

"She was checked at the hospital for banging her knee but was released shortly thereafter and is fine," Oistad wrote.

Oistad wasn't able to say Sunday whether any charges or citations had been issued, pending a full police report.

Chris Klint

Chris Klint is a former ADN reporter who covered breaking news.

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