Car crash injures two U. Police officers

Another car struck the police cruiser at 42nd and Walnut Streets last night. At least four people -- including two University Police officers -- were injured in an accident involving several cars at 42nd and Walnut streets last night, fire and police officials said. University Police Sgt. Tim Trucksess said the injured officers were "OK," adding that the incident was under investigation. The crash occurred at approximately 8:40 p.m., when a four-door sedan heading south on 42nd Street smashed into a University Police cruiser across from the 7-Eleven convenience store at 42nd and Walnut streets, witnesses said. After being struck by the sedan, the police cruiser hit three other parked cars, causing moderate to severe damage to all of them. Witnesses said rescue personnel had to pry the occupants of the sedan -- which was totalled in the incident -- from the wreckage. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department confirmed that three ambulances transported the injured crash victims to area hospitals for treatment at approximately 8:44 p.m. He explained that two of the victims were sent to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, one to the Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania and two to Hahnemann Hospital's trauma unit. But a HUP nursing administrator stressed that only one person -- a male who she said was in fair condition -- had been sent to the hospital after the crash. Hahnemann officials confirmed that a male and female involved with the crash were in stable condition as of midnight, and CHOP spokesperson Kathy Spencer said a 15-year-old boy was in fair condition after injuring his knee in the accident. West Philadelphia resident Mash Ali -- whose car was struck by the police cruiser -- said he was "sitting in my apartment when I heard sirens, screeching and then the crash." But he said he only expects to be "inconvenienced" by the incident since only his car is damaged, and "the cops told me they'd take care of me." Wharton sophomore Rida Divs was not as lucky -- he had not registered or insured his newly purchased Honda CRX, and feared that he would not be reimbursed for the damages his car suffered in the accident. "I'm afraid that my car is gone," he said. The exact cause of the crash remained unclear as of 1 a.m. Several witnesses said they had seen or heard what appeared to be a police chase immediately before the crash, but Philadelphia and University police officers maintained that the incident was simply a car accident.