Four injured after San Diego police vehicle hit by alleged DUI driver

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A San Diego Police vehicle driving through a red light with its lights on was hit by a vehicle Saturday afternoon driven by a woman allegedly under the influence, police said in an update. Traffic was impacted for several hours.

Four people, including two SDPD officers, were injured in a collision just after noon Saturday in the Midway neighborhood of San Diego near Liberty Station.

A silver Honda Accord and SDPD SUV sustained visible damage to their front ends after the two vehicles collided.

According to San Diego Police, a police vehicle was driving west on Barnett Avenue approaching Midway Drive with its lights on and sirens activated for an emergency response. The police vehicle stopped at a red light to clear the intersection then went through.

At the same time, a 27-year-old woman in a Honda Accord drove into the intersection as she was attempting to make a left turn from Midway Drive and collided with the police vehicle.

Police report the driver of the Honda was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. She was taken to the hospital with a femur fracture. Her passenger was taken to the hospital with a fracture to the bone around their eye.

The two police officers involved were minorly injured with cuts and abrasions.

The intersection at Midway Drive and Barnett Avenue was closed for several hours and traffic was impacted. That road has since reopened.

It’s a close call as the department continues to mourn the loss of an officer killed in a fiery crash following a high-speed pursuit two months ago. Another officer was severely injured, but is now recovering at home. 

Drivers trying to get through the area Saturday faced traffic delays and detours. “I was already a little nervous trying to get in and then I saw the police cars and so I had to make a U-turn, and it was a little difficult to get in," according to San Diego resident, Bella Dinglasan.

Midway Plaza near the crash site became difficult to navigate with drivers cutting across to get around. "I wasn’t sure if cars were here, if there was going to be any parking and all of that," shared Dinglasan.

Some area regulars say that particular intersection is concerning when it comes to safety. "People are just going really fast and it's around a slight curve, so people that are going pretty quickly aren’t going to be able to see that you’re turning in or turning left from the opposite side of traffic," according to San Diego resident, Audrey Nonaka. 

Anyone with more information on the accident is asked to call the San Diego Police Department at 619‑531‑2000 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.