Five Hospitalized After Gresham Crash Involving Police Car

Updated 12/11/14 - 7:23 a.m.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Three Chicago police officers, a firefighter and a civilian were injured Wednesday night when a squad was struck by a car near 87th Street and Loomis Avenue, sending the squad car into a light pole in the Gresham neighborhood.

Sources said a sedan appeared to T-bone a police cruiser around 8 p.m. at the intersection of 87th Street and Loomis Boulevard. The crash was so severe, three officers had to be cut free from their squad car.

In all, six people were hospitalized, including the three officers. Two of the victims were in fair condition, and four were in serious-to-critical condition when they were rushed to hospitals.

Two officers were being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The other was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

A firefighter also was injured while helping get the police officers out of their squad car.

Police said the driver of the car that hit the police cruiser was not injured, but his passenger was not wearing a seatbelt, and his head struck the windshield in the crash. The driver was issued citations for driving without insurance and for having a passenger without a seatbelt.