By Jessica Michalski
CHICOPEE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -
A driver involved in a head-on collision with a
Chicopee police cruiser early Saturday morning has died and the officer
remains in the hospital with serious injuries.
The accident happened shortly after 2 a.m. on Front Street in Chicopee.
Lt. Patrick Major with the Chicopee police department told Western Mass News one of their police cruisers was traveling opposite another vehicle, described as a "Mountaineer," when the crash occurred. The force of impact pushed the cruiser into the parking lot of city hall.
Both the operator of the SUV, who's described as a 37-year-old man from Chicopee, and the officer were rushed by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
In a Facebook post to the department's page officer Mike Wilk noted that the driver "has passed away."
Wilk added that the "officer is still at Baystate Medical being treated for various bruises, lacerations and head injury."
Police are not releasing the name of the officer or the driver until their families have been notified.
Lt. Major told us state police are investigating this incident. Troopers were called in to do accident reconstruction work. They spent several hours on scene investigating.
Our crew who went to the crash site saw that the airbags had deployed in the police cruiser.
Western Mass News has reached out to state police asking for further details including what may have caused this crash to occur. This is a developing story. We'll have more information as soon as it becomes available.
The accident happened shortly after 2 a.m. on Front Street in Chicopee.
Lt. Patrick Major with the Chicopee police department told Western Mass News one of their police cruisers was traveling opposite another vehicle, described as a "Mountaineer," when the crash occurred. The force of impact pushed the cruiser into the parking lot of city hall.
Both the operator of the SUV, who's described as a 37-year-old man from Chicopee, and the officer were rushed by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
In a Facebook post to the department's page officer Mike Wilk noted that the driver "has passed away."
Wilk added that the "officer is still at Baystate Medical being treated for various bruises, lacerations and head injury."
Police are not releasing the name of the officer or the driver until their families have been notified.
Lt. Major told us state police are investigating this incident. Troopers were called in to do accident reconstruction work. They spent several hours on scene investigating.
Our crew who went to the crash site saw that the airbags had deployed in the police cruiser.
Western Mass News has reached out to state police asking for further details including what may have caused this crash to occur. This is a developing story. We'll have more information as soon as it becomes available.