2 officers injured in crash during pursuit in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Two officers have been injured in a crash while pursuing a reckless driver in Milwaukee, according to police.

The person fleeing from police was also injured when an airbag deployed.

The pursuit began about 8 p.m. Wednesday on the city’s north side, according to Capt. David Salazar.

An officer saw a pickup truck operating recklessly and began a pursuit when the driver sped away, Salazar said.

Moments later the pickup crashed into another squad car that was responding as a backup. Two officers in that squad car suffered blunt-force trauma injuries, but are expected to be OK.

Police arrested the driver on possible charges of first-degree recklessly endangering safety and fleeing an officer, causing injury.

Salazar said the injury crash brings to mind the death of Officer Charles Irvine Jr., 23, who died in a crash during a pursuit in June 2018.

“We all remember Officer Irvine (who) passed away in a very similar type of situation, and that’s always something that we have to keep in the back of our minds when we’re undertaking these very dangerous jobs,” he said.