A dashcam video captures the heart-stopping moment a Los Angeles County deputy's patrol car flips through the air after being struck by another vehicle at a busy intersection.
A Los Angeles County deputy narrowly escaped serious injury on Wednesday after another vehicle crashed into his patrol car at an intersection, sending the cruiser flipping through the air.
The incident, which was captured on video by a witness's dashcam, occurred just before 12:30 p.m. at the intersection of Newhall Ranch Road and Bouquet Canyon Road in Santa Clarita.
Video footage shows a gold Lexus crashing into the side of the cruiser as the deputy drives through the intersection. The impact sends the patrol car spinning and flipping through the air, striking a silver SUV at a stoplight before coming to a rest right-side up.
"It just happened so fast," said Allen Rapisura, whose dashcam captured the crash. "It's like something you see in the movies."
Another witness, Audry Carias, described the moment of the crash to KTLA. "The police car is coming towards me and another car just speeds up and hits it," Carias said. "[The patrol car] just flips and hits two cars in front of me. Thankfully, I didn’t get hit."
Multiple bystanders rushed to aid the deputy after the crash, according to reports. The deputy suffered minor injuries and was later released from a hospital, the sheriff's office said.
"I think it speaks volumes that Santa Clarita, the community loves the cops here," LASD Sgt. Sherry Clark told FOX11. "It looked horrific and we're all just so surprised and very happy that [the deputy] walked away basically unscathed," she added.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Santa Clarita Station said the deputy was responding to a report of a burglary in progress, reported the Signal, a newspaper based in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The driver of the SUV struck by the patrol car was also treated at a hospital and released, while the elderly driver of the gold Lexus was uninjured in the crash, FOX11 reported.
No charges have been filed as the crash remains under investigation.
The incident highlights the dangers that law enforcement officers face in the line of duty. Deputies and police officers often respond to high-risk situations, and they rely on their training and protective gear to keep them safe. In this case, the deputy's seatbelt and airbag likely played a role in preventing more serious injuries.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is conducting an investigation into the crash to determine the cause and identify any potential contributing factors. The investigation is expected to take several weeks, and the results will be released when they become available.
