Five police officers were hurt, one critically, in three separate car crashes yesterday.
In the most serious incident, Officers Richard Hayes, 28, and George Higginson, 25, were searching a Chevrolet Prizm they had pulled over for suspected drag racing about 1:20 a.m. when the vehicle was hit by an SUV in Bridesburg.
Both officers were thrown on impact. Hayes remains in the intensive care unit at Aria Health's Torresdale campus. Higginson is in stable condition at Hahnemann Hospital.
The SUV's driver, John Cusick, 20, of Bristol Township, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and driving under the influence.
The driver of the Prizm, Edwin Alizea, 30, of 3500 Oakmont Street, already had been handcuffed for driving under the influence and placed in the back of the police cruiser when Cusick's car slammed into his car.
After the officers were hurt, Alizea attempted to kick out the window of the police car and escape on foot. He has also been charged with fleeing police.
A second pair of officers were hospitalized last night when an SUV slammed into their car in North Philadelphia.
Gilberto Rivera, 47, of Chester, was arrested and charges with driving under the influence after the 11:15 p.m. collision at A Street and Erie Avenue, near St. Christopher's Hospital
Both unidentified officers, a male and a female, were taken to Temple University Hospital where they were determined to be in stable condition and released.
At 1:22 a.m. yesterday, a car driven by Angela Forrest struck a patrol car at 29th Street and Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia, police said.
The officer was treated for minor injuries at Temple University Hospital and released.
Forrest, of the 2800 block of N. Taylor Street was arrested and charged with DUI, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person.
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