Two St. Louis police officers and five others were struck by a vehicle while investigating another crash.
According to KSDK, just before 7 p.m. on Monday (January 24), St. Louis police were investigating a crash involving a GMC Acadia when a 21-year-old man driving a Lexus ES hit a patrol car on I-64.
When the 21-year-old struck the police car, he slid into the median and crashed into the GMC, hitting the two officers and five others who were involved in the previous crash, the police report stated
Both officers, ages 44 and 24, were taken to the hospital in critical condition.
During a press briefing, Chief John Hayden said both officers were alert and talking after being hit.
"Both of them were in serious pain and we'll obviously have to get some x-rays to determine the extent of their internal injuries," Hayden noted.
The five other victims included two women, ages 22 and 23, and three men, ages 21, 23, and 24, were all taken to the hospital in critical condition.
The driver of the Lexus was not injured in the crash and police say he is cooperating with the investigation.
"Any time there are persons on the side of the road — whether it be police officers or emergency responders or highway workers — people should drive cautiously, and obviously that wasn't the case this evening," Hayden noted.