A car thief smashed a stolen Toyota Camry into a Long Beach Police Department cruiser early this morning, sending an officer to the hospital and closing down a portion of the area as police searched for the suspect.

The suspect fled on foot after the crash, which occurred at 59th Street and Elm Avenue at 1:30AM. as the officer was headed south on Elm, said Long Beach police Sgt. David Marander. The officer, who was conscious when taken to the hospital, was treated and released, he said.

“The stolen vehicle collided with his police vehicle. The male suspect fled the scene of the accident,” Marander said.

It is unclear if the officer was in pursuit of the stolen vehicle at the time of the accident.

Officers established a perimeter in the area and looked for the suspect after the accident, but called off the active search after about three hours. Both the police vehicle and the Camry were heavily damaged.

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