Roof of Fresno Police squad car ripped off to get officer out of vehicle

A Fresno Police officer was involved in a car crash Thursday night in downtown Fresno that required emergency crews to remove the roof of the squad car to free the officer.

It happened around 8 p.m. near Tulare and R streets, where an officer in a police car collided with another vehicle just as the power at the intersection went out and caused the entire street to go black, according to Fresno Police.

The vehicles crashed in the middle of the intersection right, and in front of the Meux Home Museum, just after the power went out.

Lt. Brian Pierce said Fresno Fire crews arrived and removed the roof of the squad car to get the officer out of the vehicle. He was taken to Fresno Community Regional Medical Center, where the officer was treated for minor injuries.

The driver of the other vehicle remained at the scene and was cooperating with investigators.

Neither drugs nor alcohol appeared to play a factor in the collision, Pierce said.