A police officer with six years of service west of Edmonton had to be airlifted to hospital Thursday morning, after his cruiser was involved in a head-on crash with a pickup truck.
Spruce Grove/Stony Plain RCMP said the crash took place just before 7 a.m. Thursday, on Golden Spike Road, north of Secondary Highway 627.
Police said Cst. Marcus Hirschfield, 33, had just responded to a single vehicle rollover south of Spruce Grove – and having dealt with that, was on his way back into town.
Cst. Hirschfield was on his way back into town, driving north on Golden Spike Road, when a southbound pickup truck lost control and collided with his police car.
Emergency crews responded to the scene – and had to use the Jaws of Life to free the officer from his vehicle.
STARS Air Ambulance airlifted him to the U of A Hospital with serious, but non-life threatening injuries.
RCMP said early reports indicate Hirschfield suffered a broken pelvis, femur and ankle in the collision – and was to undergo surgery Thursday morning.
The two people inside the truck were not seriously injured, the passenger only suffered a broken leg.
It’s believed road conditions played a role in the crash, RCMP said roads are still slick from Wednesday’s drifting snow and strong winds.