Atwater officer involved in Bellevue Road crash

No one was seriously hurt in a two-vehicle crash involving an on-duty Atwater police officer on Bellevue Road, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The crash was reported shortly before 8:30 p.m. Friday. Officer Bobby Gregory was traveling east in the fast lane of Bellevue Road, approaching Muir Avenue in his Ford Crown Victoria patrol car, according to officer John Patterson, CHP spokesman.

Winton resident Angela Duran, 20, was driving a 2005 Pontiac Grand Am about 45 mph west on Bellevue Road in the fast lane. In the car with Duran were three passengers: a 27-year-old woman and two boys, one 3 years old and one 5 months.

Gregory drove into the left turn lane and began turning onto Muir Avenue, into the path of Duran's Pontiac. The officer's emergency lights and siren were not on.

The front of the Pontiac crashed into the patrol car's passenger side.

Both cars came to a rest blocking the westbound lanes of Bellevue Road, Patterson said.

CHP officers responded to the scene.

Gregory sustained minor injuries but wasn't taken to the hospital.

Although the children in Duran's car were wearing seat belts, CHP officers determined they weren't properly buckled into child passenger restraint seats. Neither child showed signs of injury. Duran and her passenger were taken to Mercy Medical Center Merced with minor injuries.

Neither driver has been charged with a crime, pending completion of the CHP's investigation.

Alcohol wasn't a factor in the crash, the CHP said.

Managing Editor Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.

This story was originally published April 3, 2011 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Atwater officer involved in Bellevue Road crash."