Police officer, driver injured in crash near apartment fire in Inglewood 

By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

A crash near the scene of an apartment fire in Inglewood sent two people, including a police officer, to the hospital early Sunday morning. 

According to initial reports, the fire started around midnight near 97th Street and Prairie Avenue across the street from SoFi Stadium.

Firefighters were able to knock down the fire in about 20 minutes but had to conduct an extensive cleanup due to debris and clutter in the apartment where the blaze first broke out.  

A crash near the scene of an apartment fire in Inglewood sent two people, including a police officer, to the hospital on Sunday, March 10, 2024. (OnSceneTV)A crash near the scene of an apartment fire in Inglewood sent two people, including a police officer, to the hospital on Sunday, March 10, 2024. (OnSceneTV)A crash near the scene of an apartment fire in Inglewood sent two people, including a police officer, to the hospital on Sunday, March 10, 2024. (OnSceneTV)Smoke damage from an apartment fire in Inglewood, CA on Mar. 10, 2024. (KTLA)Debris from an apartment fire in Inglewood, CA on Mar. 10, 2024. (KTLA)

The Red Cross is assisting at least five people who were displaced due to the blaze; the owner of the apartment was reportedly not home when the fire started, meaning that they likely do not know that it happened, according to KTLA 5’s Omar Lewis. 

Inglewood police officers had set up a roadblock and were redirecting traffic away from the scene of the fire when a motorist went through the roadblock and collided with a parked police cruiser around 1:30 a.m., preliminary information indicates. 

Footage from the scene shows the crumpled police car while the door that had to be removed laid in the street. (OnSceneTV)Footage from the scene shows the crumpled police car while the door that had to be removed laid in the street. (OnSceneTV)Footage from the scene shows the crumpled police car while the door that had to be removed laid in the street. (OnSceneTV)

The force of the crash pinned the officer inside their SUV, leading first responders to cut the squad car’s door off to free them. Footage from the scene shows the crumpled police car while the door that had to be removed laid in the street. 

Authorities are now investigating whether the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash was under the influence. 

KTLA has reached out to the Inglewood Police Department for an update on the conditions of the motorist and the officer, but as of 6:30 a.m., they had not responded. 

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.