COLUMBUS, Ohio — A police cruiser and another vehicle were struck Saturday night by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 71, according to the Columbus Division of Police.
A Hyundai Elantra with two passengers was traveling southbound on I-71, approaching the Cooke Road overpass, around 10:45 p.m.
Following behind and further back was a police cruiser and a Chevrolet Cruze. The police officer was heading to another location and was not in pursuit of the Hyundai at the time, according to police.
The driver of the Hyundai reportedly lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a concrete center divider, coming to a rest facing northbound. Police said the driver proceeded driving the vehicle headed in the northbound direction in the southbound lanes.
The officer driving the police cruiser took evasive actions to avoid the Hyundai but was struck, resulting in minor damage to the cruiser. Police said the driver of the Hyundai proceeded northbound in the southbound lane and eventually struck the Chevrolet head-on.
Both the officer struck and the driver of the Chevrolet were treated at the scene.
The driver and passenger of the Hyundai were taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital with what the police said are significant injuries.
This incident is under investigation, according to police.
