An Orinda police officer, apparently attempting to catch up to auto burglary suspects fleeing from Moraga into Orinda; lost control of his car and crashed through the brick wall of the Orinda Wells Fargo bank branch at 80 Moraga Way Thursday.
The crash was reported at 11:30 p.m., shortly after police reportedly started getting reports of a suspicious vehicle and occupants burglarizing vehicles in Moraga.
Moraga officers, watchful after similar previous calls, patrolled Moraga Way in an effort to catch sight of the suspect’s vehicle with one officer reportedly spotting a vehicle pulling away on Moraga Way. An unidentified officer, apparently trying to head off a car believed running toward Orinda, lost control of his unit while attempting to catch up, failing to make the turn and crashing into the bank.
The officer, believed to have suffered an injury to his foot, was briefly trapped in his unit before help arrived. He was transferred to John Muir Hospital for further treatment.
The car police were searching for was believed to have made it out of the area.
I hope the Moraga PD officer has a speedy and complete recovery. The frequency of the underlying events (e.g alleged/observed street crime activity) in our bastions of purported safety/solitude is alarming. Something has to give..at the ballot box; on the street or both….
The ballot box will change absolutely nothing about crimes like this. Nothing.
Last time I checked, prosecutors, judges, legislators were elected positions. The electorate wants change…some want restorative change, others seek progressive change. Exercise the franchise. Otherwise, we become an armed camp taking the Heller decision to the nth degree.
Exactly! Voting does matter!
Something gave on the street all right. The brick wall. That is certain. He is one very lucky Orinda PD officer. We wish him well, and given that his injuries are not too severe, we hope that that good outcome will not encourage his comrades to be unrestrained in their jokes. “Above and beyond”, and so forth. Dodged a bullet, so to speak.
Yes.
Relative to joking comrades you triggered a memory in us (collective groan from the assembled) with a motorcycle officer we knew having an unfortunate run-in with a turkey buzzard while on patrol one day, a collision that left his bike the worse for wear and him in the hospital for a bit.
Brother officers chipped in and bought him a solid gold Buzzard Buster Badge (small, winged replica he wore over the ribbon bar) which confused the uninitiated – who figured he was part of some aviation unit they’d never heard of.
Brothers can be generous when the joke is on you…
I definitely don’t get the SUV police vehicle trend. When a stolen VW Jetta can run circles around these SUVs.
Car manufacturers stopped making “full size” four door vehicles, therefore the switch to SUV’s. The L.A. County Sheriff does annual vehicle evaluations and most departments nationwide follow their recommendations. Of course I drove on the LA test track many times.
Firestone 11R
So loud!
Didn’t hear a thing!
“ The car police were searching for was believed to have made it out of the area.”
The cups just didn’t want it enough. Disappointing….
Hoping the officer involved makes a quick and full recovery.
Firestone 11R
I hope MPD has placed caution tape and cameras at the back of Bianca’s as a precaution.
Bit of a local historical reference there for those in the know…
The blizzard of information coming out of local law enforcement about this action and crash has been overwhelming. Thanks news24/680.
From the video audio it doesn’t appear that they were rolling with sirens?
Too bad. The bank didn’t have a chance to get out of the way.