Two-Vehicle Collision Involving Police Car Creates Traffic Jam

Traffic was backed up for several blocks each way on Highway 74 this afternoon following a two-vehicle collision between a Menifee Police Department patrol car and a Southern California Gas Co. service truck.

According to Officer Coon of the Highway Patrol, the police car was traveling northbound on Menifee Road and the service truck was headed westbound on Highway 74 when the collision occurred in the intersection. The investigation has just begun and no details about the cause of the accident were reported.

Both the police officer and the driver of the other vehicle were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries, Coon said. There were no other occupants in either vehicle.

The crash occurred at 3:48 p.m., with the Gas Co. truck ending up in a ditch outside the northwest corner of the intersection and the police car in the intersection. That car was towed away shortly after 5:30 p.m., but traffic was still jammed in both directions on Highway 74.