University of Utah police are investigating if one of their officers did anything wrong when he crashed into a theft suspect who was riding a bicycle on Thursday, sending the woman to the hospital.
The crash happened after the officer received a report that two people had stolen bicycles from the Marriott Library on campus. The officer stopped his patrol vehicle so speak to the suspects, and they avoided him, campus police spokesman Dan Metcalf said.
“And then he moved the patrol car to pursue, and in doing so he actually hit the bike rider,” Metcalf said.
That officer stopped chasing the other theft suspect to help the injured woman. She was later taken to the hospital with injuries that appeared non-life threatening, Metcalf said. She hasn’t been identified.
Police haven’t found the second suspect.
Metcalf said the police would investigate the officer’s conduct, in addition to the reported theft. Metcalf said he didn’t know if the officer had been placed on administrative leave for the internal investigation.
Salt Lake City police are investigating the crash.
