Man hit by Palatine squad still in critical condition

A 29-year-old man was in critical condition Saturday after being hit by a Palatine police car, authorities said.

Police said Nicholas Pieri, of the 900 block of East Kenilworth in Palatine, was hit at about 12:27 a.m. Saturday on the 400 block of North Smith Street in Palatine.

Police say the man stepped off the curb into the path of the squad car, which was on patrol and not responding to an emergency call at the time.

Pieri was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where he underwent surgery on Saturday, said a hospital spokeswoman, who described his condition as critical.

Palatine Deputy Chief Alan Stoeckel said this is a trying time for both the injured individual and the officer involved.

"For them and their families, it's very difficult," he said. "We want to make sure there's a thorough investigation."

The investigation is being conducted by members of the Buffalo Grove Police department's traffic reconstruction team.

"We want to make sure we support the officer and make sure he's OK," Stoeckel said. "But in this case, there's a 29-year-old pedestrian. We want to make sure he is OK and that his family gets the information they need."

Another incident involving a Palatine police car striking a pedestrian occurred along Dundee Road earlier this year. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing in that incident. That officer was not involved in this latest incident.