An overnight multi-vehicle crash involving a St. Paul police squad is being investigated Thursday.

The crash happened around 1 a.m. Thursday on the city’s east side, at the intersection of White Bear and Maryland avenues.

Police say the officer was headed south on White Bear Avenue while responding to a call about a burglary in-progress, adding the marked squad’s lights and siren were activated. The vehicle then approached the intersection, which had a red light for traffic on White Bear, but vehicles near the intersection had yielded to the officer’s squad, a spokesman for the department says.

However, while the officer moved through the intersection, police say an eastbound vehicle on Maryland collided with the squad, causing a secondary collision with a vehicle that had pulled over to yield to the officer.

Video shot by a 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS photographer shows all three vehicles involved had extensive damage.

Darnell Fiazer – who witnessed the crash due to his vehicle being involved in the secondary collision – spoke on camera, saying the squad car came up behind him on White Bear Avenue with the emergency lights on. He added that he pulled over to let the officer pass and then watched as the squad made its way to the intersection.

Fiazer says that’s when he saw a black sedan – identified by police as a Toyota Camry – approach the same intersection on Maryland Avenue and crash into the squad. He says the force of that collision sent the officer’s squad into his Hyundai Sonata.

“It was kind of slow-motion. I thought they (the officer) were going to go through the intersection until I saw that black car come through. It was like a ghost. Bam, it was over that fast. I hope that cop’s alright. I hope the other person driving that car is alright too,” said Fiazer. “For all the drivers out there, make sure you’re paying attention to the roads and the lights; lives could be lost,” he added.

St. Paul police say the officer, as well as the Camry’s driver, were taken to Regions Hospital in order to be evaluated for injuries that aren’t considered to be life-threatening. Police note the Camry’s driver had to be helped out of her vehicle by the firefighters.

Meanwhile, the people inside the Hyundai were evaluated at the scene and didn’t need to go to the hospital.