An officer with the Santa Barbara Police Department and his K9 partner were injured Saturday night in a car crash.
According to a news release from the Santa Barbara Police Department, the officer and his K9 partner Murdock were on their way to respond to reports of a weapon brandishing in progress around 7:25 p.m.
As the officer drove into the intersection of Carrillo Street and De La Vina Street in Santa Barbara, a passenger vehicle driving south crashed into the marked police SUV, said the news release.
Police say the crash caused "significant damage" to the front end of the passenger vehicle. The driver of the car was the only occupant and was transported to Cottage Hospital with minor injuries.
Officials say the collision caused the police vehicle to spin around, eventually coming to rest in the center median after hitting a tree.
Firefighters removed the police officer from the SUV, where he was then transported to Cottage Hospital with "moderate injuries," according to the news release. The officer was released from the hospital hours later.
A former K9 officer removed the injured officer's K9 partner, Murdock, who was then taken to VCA Care Emergency Animal Hospitals, said police.
After an hour of evaluation, Murdock was also released by the animal hospital, having "only been shaken up and sustained a minor cut to his hind toe," said the police department.
The crash remains under investigation.
