CHP officer suffers major injuries in crash during Oakland pursuit

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A California Highway Patrol officer suffered major injuries when his motorcycle collided with a sedan as he tried to catch up with a pursuit in Oakland Thursday morning, according to the CHP.

The officer was trying to catch up with another CHP unit pursuing a speeding suspect who failed to yield, CHP Officer Sean Wilkenfeld said.

The motorcycle officer was heading west on West MacArthur Boulevard with his lights and sirens activated and collided with a Nissan sedan making a left turn onto Martin Luther King Jr. Way from the opposite direction at 10:10 a.m., Wilkenfeld said.

The pursuit was canceled after the collision, Wilkenfeld said.

Ignacio Quezada, who owns the West Macarthur Car Wash on that corner, said the officer was thrown from the motorcycle onto the street.

"It was loud," Quezada said.

He said the officer stood up but seemed dazed and headed to the curb. CHP officers arrived shortly afterward.

The officer and the Nissan driver were both taken to the hospital, Wilkenfeld said. The officer suffered major injuries and the woman driving the Nissan suffered minor injuries.

The intersection remained closed as of 12:30 p.m. as officers investigate the crash. It's expected to remain closed until about 2:45 p.m.