An officer on patrol was headed eastbound on the highway and had just passed the Hillsdale Boulevard exit about 10:25 p.m. when he spotted the big cat running across lanes from left to right, according to San Mateo police.
The officer applied his brakes but collided with the mountain lion, police said. When the officer returned to the area, the animal was gone.
The officer wasn't hurt but the impact left the patrol vehicle damaged, with patches of animal hair, according to a release from police.
The image above is not of the mountain lion hit by the car.