6, including 2 LAPD officers, hurt in chain-reaction crash

Six people, including two Los Angeles police officers, suffered minor injuries Monday afternoon in a chain-reaction crash in South Los Angeles, authorities said.

Police said the accident occurred about 5 p.m. at the intersection of South Hoover and West 81st streets.

Officers in a patrol car were trying to catch up to a gray Chrysler that had apparently run a red light when the cruiser was struck on the passenger side by a white Acura. The impact sent the police cruiser crashing into several parked vehicles, and then it was struck by a car heading north on Hoover.

Sgt. John Cudworth of the LAPD’s South Traffic Division said one officer is believed to have suffered a concussion, and the other complained of unspecified injuries.

Authorities said the two officers, a pedestrian and a baby were taken to hospitals for observation. Two others were treated at the scene.

Officials said no charges are expected to be filed against the driver of the Acura.

Cudworth said the motorist being followed on South Hoover for the suspected traffic violation left the scene.

He said the driver possibly was unaware of being followed by police or that an accident had occurred. The officers are assigned to the 77th Street Division.

stuart.silverstein@latimes.com