Deputy injured after being struck by suspected drunk driver in Lancaster

LANCASTER (FOX 11) - A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was hurt after being struck by a suspected drunk driver, who was going the wrong way in Lancaster early Sunday morning.

At about 1:40 a.m., two California Highway Patrol officers observed two vehicles stopped at the top of the northbound SR-14 West Avenue F off-ramp.

As the officers approached the two vehicles to see if the occupants needed help, the driver of the 1998 Volvo drove off.

The driver in the second vehicle told officers he had been rear-ended by the Volvo.

The officers drove after the Volvo and tried to pull the driver over.

"The Volvo almost immediately, for unknown reasons, veered to the left and crashed head-on with an LASD marked patrol vehicle that was traveling westbound on Avenue F," according to Deputy Joana Warren of the LASD's information bureau.

The deputy, whose name was not revealed, suffered injuries to her left side and was transported to a local hospital, where she was listed in stable condition, Warren said.

Sheriff Jim McDonell paid her a visit at the hospital.

"The deputy was responding to a routine call for service, which was unrelated to the original traffic collision on the ramp," said Warren. The deputy was operating the marked patrol vehicle with no lights or siren activate, completely unaware of the CHP incident."

The driver of the Volvo died at the scene.

A man, who was a passenger, suffered moderate injuries, Warren said.