Officer Suffers Minor Injuries in Accident
A Glendale police officer escaped serious injury when his patrol car spun out of control, struck several traffic poles and flipped over during a high-speed chase early Friday morning.
Officer Roger Johnstone, 27, was turning onto Honolulu Avenue at between 70 and 75 m.p.h. when he realized he was going too fast and stepped on the brakes, the police report said.
When he hit the brakes, the car spun out of control and hit the curb, a guard rail, a pole and a traffic light before flipping over, the report said.
The car skidded on its roof across the intersection of Honolulu Avenue and Whiting Woods Road, striking another power pole and another traffic light before stopping.
Johnstone, who has served on the force for a year and a half, sustained only minor cuts and bruises to his right arm. Glendale Police Officer Mario Yagoda attributed the lack of more serious injuries to Johnstone’s seat belt and an air bag.
The accident occurred about 3 a.m. while Johnstone was pursuing a man who was allegedly harassing another man and his family.
Joey Ball, 20, of La Crescenta was arrested at his home an hour later on suspicion of evading an officer, a felony.
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