Ventura Co. Sheriff's Department patrol car veers off PCH after crash with suspected DUI driver

A Ventura County Sheriff's Department patrol vehicle veered off the side of Pacific Coast Highway on Saturday evening after crashing with another vehicle. 

Circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear, but deputies say that the crash happened a little after 8:40 p.m. as the deputy was heading to a service call for a "suspicious person" in a parking lot, according to a VCSD spokesperson. 

As they were driving, they collided head-on with another vehicle near Deer Creek Road, sending the K9 patrol car over the side. 

The deputy inside of the car was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries. The K9 unit inside of the car, a Dutch Shepherd named Danny, suffered a minor cut on the face but was otherwise uninjured, deputies said.

Firefighters used hydraulic tools to rescue the driver who was trapped inside of the car as a result of the crash. He was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition before he was eventually booked on suspicion of driving under the influence. 

Since the crash happened on a state highway, California Highway Patrol officers will take over the investigation.

With SkyCal overhead, the deputy cruiser could be seen perched on the rocks below PCH just feet above the water from the Pacific Ocean. Deputies were using a different patrol vehicle equipped with a winch to pull the damaged vehicle back to the road. 

The mangled second vehicle, a white sedan, could be seen with considerable damage to the front end.