COLUMBUS, Ohio — Newly released body-camera and dashcam footage shows the moments leading up to a crash in downtown Columbus that sent five people to the hospital, including a police officer.
The crash happened at the intersection of South 4th and East Rich streets on Monday around 2:35 a.m.
According to a crash report from the Columbus Division of Police, a police officer was heading westbound approaching the intersection with his lights activated.
The report said the officer had a red light and a white car with a green light was already in the intersection of South 4th and East Rich streets when the two collided.
Leading up to the crash, bodycam video shows the officer holding a cellphone in one hand while driving with a map pulled up for directions.
Dashcam video shows the police cruiser’s lights being activated shortly before going through the intersection. The sirens went on just one second before the cruiser went through the red light.
The brakes of the cruiser can be heard squealing before it crashes into the passenger side of the white car.
After the crash, the bodycam video shows him getting out of his cruiser immediately after the crash and walking over to the white car. Four people were inside the white car.
Someone in the white car can be heard yelling, “Call the ambulance. My sister is hurt.” The person then starts calling for help.
An ambulance arrives minutes later.
The officer was taken to a nearby hospital in what police described as “stable” condition. All four occupants of the white car were taken to the hospital as well and described as stable.
In Ohio, it is legal for first responders to use their phones while driving as long as it is a part of their duty.
According to a copy of the Columbus Division of Police's policy for emergency vehicle operation, officers should slow down if they're approaching a stop sign or stop signal with their lights and sirens on.
It reads in part, "...sworn personnel shall slow down as necessary for the safety of traffic and shall proceed into these intersections at a speed which would allow sworn personnel and/or other drivers and pedestrians a reasonable opportunity to avoid a traffic crash."
10TV reached out to the Columbus Division of Police about its policy but has not yet heard back.