Officer killed when patrol car collides with ambulance

SOUTH JACKSONVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Police in central Illinois say a patrol car has collided with an ambulance while both were responding to a traffic accident, killing the officer and wounding three people in the ambulance.

The Police Department in the village of South Jacksonville identified the officer as Scot Fitzgerald.

The Jacksonville Journal-Courier (http://bit.ly/1QBkHKi ) reports that he was responding to a call around 9 p.m. Friday on state Route 267 and made a U-turn while trying to find the accident site.

While making the turn, his car struck an ambulance responding to the same emergency.

Fitzgerald was taken to a hospital in Springfield, and later died of his injuries.

The ambulance driver and two paramedics were also hospitalized.

South Jacksonville Police Chief Josh Hallock says the department stands with Fitzgerald's family.

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Information from: Jacksonville Journal-Courier, http://www.journal-courier.net