A WSU police officer and intern were sent to the Pullman Regional Hospital for minor facial injuries and a precautionary evaluation, said Sergeant Dan Dornes.

The officer was in downtown Pullman Saturday night, going westward on Main Street, when he observed a vehicle turning from Grand Avenue onto Main Street, going eastward - the wrong way down the one-way street. The officer turned on his lights and sped up to intercept the vehicle, Dornes said.

While attempting to intercept, the officer went through an intersection at Main and Kamiaken where the accident occurred. There was a car coming northward on Kamiaken through this intersection at a green light, and the officer swerved to avoid a collision with the oncoming vehicle. The patrol car crashed into a utility pole, Dornes said.

“Both airbags were deployed in the patrol car,” he said. “There were minor facial injuries on the patrol officer who was driving.”

The car in the intersection was not damaged, and the driver of the vehicle going the wrong way realized her error and turned around on Kamiaken, Dornes said.

He said no serious injuries were reported. The accident occurred at 10:11 p.m. Saturday night.