Responding police cars collide in downtown Bellevue

Two officers responding to a backup request in Factoria took a detour to the hospital Monday night after their patrol cars collided with each other and another vehicle in downtown Bellevue.

Two officers responding to a backup request in Factoria took a detour to the hospital Monday night after their patrol cars collided with each other and another vehicle in downtown Bellevue.

Bellevue Police Ofc. Seth Tyler said an officer initiated a traffic stop on the 4100 block of Factoria Boulevard Southeast after discovering the vehicle had been reported stolen. Two suspects ran from the vehicle, initiating a foot chase.

Two officers in separate patrol cars downtown responded around 9 p.m., and somehow managed to collide with each other at 112th Avenue Northeast and Main Street, causing one police car to collide with a BMW at the intersection.

“I know at least one of them had their lights and siren on,” Tyler said. “I’m not sure about the other one.”

An 11-year-old boy and his mother, who had been in the BMW with three other occupants, were transported to Overlake Medical Center with minor injuries.

Both officers involved in the collision were also transported to the hospital; One was quickly released while the other was held for further diagnostic work. One officer is now on medical leave.

“Both suspects were eventually arrested by our officers, so there’s no outstanding suspects,” Tyler said of the initial traffic stop.

Police accident investigators are continuing to piece together how the two patrol cars came to collide with each other, Tyler said, adding an accident review board will later determine whether the collision was preventable.