Forensics collects evidence at the GMC Buick car dealership after a man rammed a stolen vehicle through a locked metal gate, injuring a Signal Hill police officer Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

A Signal Hill police officer was seriously injured Tuesday morning when a burglary suspect rammed through a gate at a car dealership on Cherry Avenue, according to authorities.

Police said the burglar got into the Buick GMC car dealership in Signal Hill by jumping a fence sometime before 7 a.m. The burglar then stole a car and when officers arrived, the suspect began to flee from the area by recklessly driving the stolen vehicle, hitting several objects and an unoccupied vehicle on the property, police said in a statement.

In fleeing from the scene, the suspect rammed the stolen vehicle through a locked gate, which injured a Signal Hill police officer chasing the suspect on foot, authorities said.

A forensics worker at the GMC Buick car dealership after a police officer was injured. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

The suspect fled westbound on 28th Street toward Cherry Avenue before officers lost sight of him, according to authorities. They quickly found him after learning someone had crashed a car and then fled the scene nearby in the 6700 block of Gaviota, police said.

When officers surrounded the area and arrested the fleeing driver around 8:55 a.m., they confirmed he matched the description of the suspect from the car dealership, police said.

 

Detectives interviewed him, according to the LBPD, which has taken the lead on the investigation, and later booked him into jail.

The department identified him as Ricky Allison, a 25-year-old Long Beach resident. Police said he’s being held without bail on suspicion of attempted murder, commercial burglary and grand theft auto. Allison also had outstanding warrants for grand theft auto, tampering with a vehicle, petty theft and violating the terms of his release from jail, according to the department.

Police will be forwarding the case to prosecutors later this week, according to the LBPD.

The injured officer, whose identity is not being released at this time, is a four-year veteran assigned to patrol with the Signal Hill Police Department, the LBPD said. He is in critical but stable condition at a local hospital, according to the department.

“We have been in contact with the officer’s family and we will be providing support to them while our officer receives the medical care he needs,” Signal Hill Police Chief Christopher M. Nunley said in a statement. “This incident reminds us all of the dangers that law enforcement officers face on a daily basis, and we ask the public to keep our officer in their thoughts and prayers.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated with the identity of the suspect.