Greenfield police officer injured in rollover crash during pursuit: 'Thank God he's OK'

GREENFIELD -- A Greenfield police officer suffered minor injuries in a rollover crash Sunday morning, Aug. 12.

It happened around 9 a.m., when an on patrol saw a reckless driver traveling at a high rate of speed on Forest Home Avenue near Morgan Avenue. When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, it fled.

A pursuit began, but soon ended. The vehicle was reported to have been last seen near 76th and Layton.

Soon, another officer spotted the suspect vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on 74th Street near Edgerton Avenue. The officer pursued the vehicle, headed for Loomis.

Just before 35th and Loomis, police said an officer attempted to stop the suspect with a PIT maneuver, but the vehicle crashed into the squad -- causing the squad car to roll over. Witnesses saw the squad skid down Loomis before coming to rest in the middle of the street.

"Thank God he is OK," a witness said.

"We looked down the block and sure enough, we saw an SUV upside down facing us. You could see the bottom of the car and stuff like that. Flipped upside down. Tires in the air -- all four. They blocked it all off. All of the cop cars were just keeping all the traffic away," said Corey Oschmann.

Police said the officer was pulled out by other officers, and taken to the hospital -- where the officer was treated and released.

The suspect vehicle, also damaged in the crash, fled the scene. Police are searching for the driver.

Police said the officer who was injured is a 10-year veteran of the Greenfield Police Department.