Motorcyclist seriously injured after crashing into State Patrol squad car near Lake Nokomis

A motorcyclist is in the hospital with serious injuries after he crashed into a Minnesota State Patrol squad car Friday afternoon near Lake Nokomis in south Minneapolis.

According to the Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota state troopers were chasing the motorcycle on a highway around 4 p.m. but gave up the pursuit once it went on to city streets. A State Patrol helicopter remained in the air to keep tabs on the suspect.

Police would not say what started the pursuit or which highway the motorcycle was coming from.

While heading north on Cedar Avenue, the motorcycle crashed into a State Patrol squad car that was stopped and had its lights on near the intersection with 51st Street East.

A 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS camera at the scene showed a motorcycle on its side at the foot of a squad car with a large dent in the rear passenger side door. The impact caused the squad’s airbags to activate.

The motorcyclist, a man in his 20s, was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

MPD said it is leading the investigation because the crash happened on city streets.