St. Paul police car collides with Green Line train
A St. Paul Police squad car collided with a Green Line train on Monday near Pascal Street and University Avenue in the Midway area of St. Paul.
St. Paul Police say the officer was OK after the incident, which happened around 3 p.m. The unidentified officer lost consciousness briefly and was taken to Regions Hospital.
The accident disrupted light rail service between Capitol/Rice Street and Raymond Avenue stations, but is now running again. Westbound vehicle traffic on University Avenue was also shut down in the area of the accident, but is now open in both directions.
The police car's gas tank was hit, and gasoline spilled into the street.
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Witnesses say the squad car had lights and siren on when it crossed the tracks. Police say they still are investigating the collision.
Photos from the scene show damage to the rear of the marked squad car.
Walter Munson saw the accident from a nearby laundromat.
"I heard the siren and that's what made me look me look up," Munson said. "He hit and then I saw him skid to a stop. And that's when I was out the door. I just sprinted out there and he was unresponsive. He didn't say anything, so all of a sudden I'm looking down and I see gas starting to spread, so I reached in and turned his car off."
St. Paul Police Spokesman Paul Paulos says the officer regained conciousness after a moment and was able to get out of the vehicle on his own. He was taken to Regions Hospital with neck and back pain.
The train operator and passengers did not report injuries.