3 Hurt After 'Heroic' CHP Officers Put Vehicle In Path Of Wrong-Way Driver
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) -- Two California Highway Patrol officers escaped serious injury after a wrong-way driver careened into their SUV on the 10 Freeway in Mid-City early Thursday morning.
The collision occurred at about 2:15 a.m. on the westbound 10 Freeway, near La Cienega Boulevard.
According to CHP, the officers responded to a 911 call about a wrong-way driver. When they arrived on the 10 Freeway, they tried to turn on their lights and sirens to stop him. When that failed, they put their own vehicle in the path of the wrong-way driver.
"All I saw was the car crash into the highway patrol car, they were doing a traffic break, and then, bang, like that," a witness told CBSLA.
The CHP officers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. The wrong-way driver was also hospitalized in unknown condition. He appeared to be conscious and breathing as he was loaded into an ambulance.
"These officers, with their heroic actions, they placed their lives directly into the path of that wrong-way driver, saving an unknown amount of lives," CHP Officer Yerba told CBSLA.
The westbound 10 Freeway was briefly shut down, but has since reopened.