N. Ind. officer hurt in crash during car chase

MISHAWAKA, Ind. — Police in northern Indiana say an officer was chasing a speeding vehicle when he lost control of his squad car and slammed into an SUV stopped at an intersection.

The crash happened Sunday evening in Mishawaka (mish-ah-WAH’-kuh), with WNDU-TV and WSBT-TV reporting that St. Joseph County officer Charles Flanagan suffered a broken leg and a couple and their two young children in the SUV had minor injuries.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Bill Redman says Flanagan had his squad car’s lights and sirens on when he was following a speeding car that went around stopped cars and ran a stop light. The impact smashed in the front end of the squad car, which also caught on fire.

Police were searching for the fleeing car and say its driver could face charges.