Driver killed in crash with Oklahoma City police officer

The officer was driving east on SW 29 when the driver of another car crossed his path at S Indiana Avenue, police Master Sgt. Gary Knight said. The officer's car hit the driver's side of the other car, killing the man.

The officer, whose name hasn't been released, was not hurt. The crash victim's name also has not been released.

The officer was responding to a larceny call when the accident occurred, Knight said.

The officer radioed a dispatcher about 5:30 a.m. and said an ambulance was needed at SW 29 and S Indiana Avenue, he said.

The man's body remained in the car as officers cordoned off an area surrounding the scene between Kentucky and Blackwelder avenues and SW 28 and SW 30. Investigators and a police chaplain arrived.

Knight said he didn't know how fast the officer was driving when the driver of the other car crossed the officer's path.

"It is a tragedy anytime someone is killed. Unfortunately the officer was involved in a crash that took someone's life," he said.

Knight said investigators are working on determining what happened, but their work is in preliminary stages.

Knight said the officer did not have lights or sirens activated at the time of the crash.

Joe Rogers, 72, who lives about a block north of the crash site, said he was getting out of bed when he heard the collision.

"It sounded like I heard tires. It sounded like I heard someone spinning out after I heard the crash," Rogers said.

He said he saw other emergency vehicles arrive.

"I guess the ambulance came up with no siren on," Rogers said.

Many of the details of the crash are still being investigated. What is clear is that there are rules that govern how officers are supposed to drive when responding to a call.

In non-emergency calls, officers are required to obey speed and other traffic rules, according to a policy document provided by Oklahoma City police. On non-emergency calls, lights and sirens are not activated, the document states.

Officers can use lights and sirens for traffic stops, city policy states. Calls in which "life and limb" are at stake also allow officers to activate lights and sirens, Knight said. Those could involve shootings, stabbings or calls for backup, Knight said.

On emergency, or "Code 3" calls, lights must be activated, and officers have more discretion on the speed at which they drive, Knight said.

City policy states:

"While emergency driving is authorized by an Emergency or Code 3 designation, every precaution shall be taken with regard to safety of the public.

"If it becomes necessary to violate traffic ordinances, emergency lights shall be employed at all times and audible signals shall be used as reasonably necessary. It shall be the responsibility of the law enforcement officer to articulate the facts that support the decision not to use audible signals."

Since the officer involved in today's crash was responding to a non-emergency larceny call, it would have been proper to keep his lights and sirens off, Knight said.