Woman crashes into police patrol car, three injured

GEORGE TOWN: Two patrol unit officers were injured when a vehicle driven by a 52-year-old woman ran into their patrol car.
They were on their way to intercept a robbery in progress in Taman Semarak Api at Bandar Baru Air Itam here when the accident occurred.
The 8.30am mishap happened at the traffic light junction in the Thean Teik Highway during the morning rush hour.
The squad car was en route to a nearby housing estate together with two other patrol cars when a civilian vehicle driven by the woman rammed into it at the junction as the woman driver was caught unaware of the speeding patrol cars.
Northeast district police chief ACP Anuar Omar said that upon reaching the traffic light junction, the first patrol car stopped in the middle of the road in a bid to facilitate the other two squad cars to speed through.
"It was a routine traffic manoeuvre with sirens blaring but the woman neither saw nor heard the cars and drove head-on into the stationary police car," he said.
Anuar said the driver of patrol vehicle injured his leg and right lateral while his colleague sustained a minor concussion.
They were rushed to the Penang Hospital for treatment together with the woman driver, who sustained hand and leg injuries.
The policemen were been treated at the hospital while the woman received outpatient treatment.
The alleged robbery was not confirmed as nobody was around when police arrived at the scene.
"Police are trying to trace who had placed the call, alleging that a robbery was about to happen," said Anuar.
He advised road users to heed sirens while they were out driving, as usually, it involves an emergency situation.