Police officer injured in crash

Miami-Dade Police officer injured in crash following chase

MIAMI – A Miami-Dade Police officer was injured in a car crash after chasing three robbers impersonating police.

The crash happened at Northwest 68th Street and 2nd Avenue in Miami about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The 35-year-old officer was chasing three robbers believed to be impersonating police officers, say police. During the chase, the officer hit another car.

Witnesses said the officer didn't have his sirens and lights activated.

"If he's in pursuit, he should have had his sirens on," said one man.

"I was inside my house when I heard that noise. It sounded like an explosion," said Jacqulin Joseph.

The officer and that car's driver were transported to a Jackson Memorial Hospital. Their injuries are considered minor.

The officer is a member of the department's Robbery Intervention Detail. Investigators believe the same police impersonators are responsible for a home invasion in southwest Miami-Dade, another home invasion near the crash, and the carjacking of a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy.

The police impersonators remain at large, say police. The car police were following was found at Northwest 64th Street and 2nd Avenue.