2 Injured in Collision Involving CHP Cruiser

A Newbury Park girl and a California Highway Patrol officer suffered minor injuries when the officer, en route to a traffic accident, ended up in a collision himself.

Police said Officer Reginald Whitehead had turned on his lights and siren as he approached the intersection of Wendy Drive and Old Conejo Road about 5 p.m. Thursday.

A car driven by the 16-year-old girl, whose name was not released, was stopped in traffic on the southbound Ventura Freeway offramp at the intersection with Wendy Drive. When the light changed to green, she followed several other vehicles through the intersection, police said. The front end of the officer’s vehicle struck the girl’s car on the left side.

Both drivers were taken to Simi Valley Adventist Hospital and later released. The crash is under investigation.