Police Chaplain Injured in Aurora Police Cruiser Crash

December 29, 2010 - Aurora - The Aurora Police Department's senior chaplain along with a police officer, were injured when the police cruiser lost control and struck a tree on Sunday. The police cruiser was responding to a burglary in progress when the vehicle hit an ice patch and left the roadway.

According to reports on MyFoxChicago.com, the 68-year-old Reverend was sitting in the front seat of the police cruiser along with an Aurora police officer, 26, when they received a call about a burglary around 8:40 p.m. The officer began driving eastward on 5^th Ave and had his siren and lights on when the vehicle allegedly hit an icy patch near State Street, causing the vehicle to leave the road and strike a tree.

The Reverend was trapped inside the wrecked vehicle and had to be removed by firefighters before he was transported by air to a hospital in Chicago. Reports indicate that he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The officer who was driving the cruiser at the time of the crash was also injured, but has since been released from the hospital. The specific injuries suffered by the Reverent and the police officer were not included in the reports.

Aurora police are still investigating the car accident and as of now are unsure why the chaplain was in the police cruiser during a burglary pursuit to begin with.