COVINGTON -- A Covington police officer had to be cut from his car Monday night after his cruiser and a pickup truck collided at 17th Street and Holman Avenue.
Officer James Lindeman, a two-year veteran, was westbound on 17th Street when his cruiser collided with the pickup, which was northbound on Holman, Lt. Col. Steve Schmidt said. The accident occurred shortly before 10 p.m.
Officer Lindeman was responding to a "burglary in progress" at a residence when the collision occurred, said Lt. Col. Schmidt, departmental spokesman.
Lt. Col. Schmidt, who visited Officer Lindeman Monday night at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, said the officer was in good spirits.
"He's got a cut on the back of his head, and he may have a broken hand," Lt. Col. Schmidt said. The passenger door of the Covington cruiser was removed and the officer was cut from the wreckage.
Lt. Col. Schmidt said he was told that there were three people in the pickup, and one person may have been hospitalized. All of the injuries were thought to be minor, a nursing supervisor at St. Elizabeth said.
Police said it's too early to determine what, if any, charges will be filed against the driver of the pickup.
The impact of the accident landed Officer Lindeman's cruiser on the sidewalk next to a house.
"His whole cruiser just flew through the air. It was terrible. (The pickup) hit (the cruiser) so hard," said eyewitness Jennifer Niemeyer.
Dozens of bystanders gathered at the accident scene, which police blocked off with yellow tape. Several Covington police cruisers with flashing lights and emergency medical vehicles surrounded the scene.
"It seemed like the cop came out of nowhere, and they just smacked really hard," said Jennie Ventura, who was driving two vehicles behind the pickup when the accident occurred.
