Atwater police officer involved in Winton Way crash. Was responding to assist deputy

Update:

An Atwater police officer suffered minor injuries in a traffic collision on North Winton Way Tuesday night while responding to assist the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, according to authorities.

According to California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Zuniga, the male officer was driving 2018 Ford Explorer police vehicle northbound on North Winton Way, while responding to assist deputies with a possible vehicle pursuit.

As the officer passed Bridget Court, 35-year-old Gloria Gutierrez of Winton was driving a 2016 Nissan Pathfinder westbound while pulling out of a shopping center parking lot. According to Zuniga, the front end of the Nissan struck the front end of the patrol vehicle in the northbound lanes of North Winton Way.

Following the initial collision, the patrol vehicle continued in a northwest direction where it then struck a parked vehicle as well as an electrical box and a street light, according to Zuniga.

Authorities said the crash also caused debris to strike a vehicle traveling southbound on North Winton Way.

The officer was taken by Riggs Ambulance to Mercy Medical Center Merced for treatment of minor injuries. Gutierrez was also taken Mercy for complaints of pain. The driver of the vehicle struck by debris was not injured.

According to witness statements, authorities believe the patrol vehicle was traveling at about 50-55 mph without lights or sirens at the time of the crash.

According to Atwater Police Chief Michael Salvador, the officer has been with the department for about five years. He was released from the hospital Wednesday morning.

Zuniga said the crash remains under investigation and anyone who may have witnessed the collision or captured the collision on a surveillance system, is asked to contact the Merced CHP Office at 209-356-6600.

Here is our original report:

An Atwater police officer suffered minor injuries in a traffic collision on Tuesday night, according to authorities.

Few details about the circumstances behind the crash were immediately available.

According to Atwater Police Chief Michael Salvador, shortly before 10 p.m., a male officer was driving a police vehicle on Winton Way.

The officer’s vehicle was then struck by a vehicle just south of Santa Fe Drive. He had been his way to assist a fellow officer when the collision occurred, Salvador said.

Police said the officer was taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries and released Wednesday morning.

Salvador said the officer has been with the Atwater Police Department for about five years.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the collision per standard operating procedure, according to Salvador.

This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 12:09 PM.