Arrest made in South LA drunk driving hit-and-run of county police patrol vehicle

One person was arrested today on suspicion of crashing a van into a Los Angeles County police vehicle in an alcohol-related hit-and-run collision in South Los Angeles, authorities said.

The crash was reported just before midnight at South Vermont Avenue and West Imperial Highway, said California Highway Patrol Officer Patrick Kimball. It involved a county police patrol vehicle whose occupants were not seriously injured, said Sgt. Scott Aikin of the sheriff's Lennox Substation.

However, at least one of the officers went to Harbor UCLA Medical Center to get checked out, according to the CHP.

One person was arrested around 1 a.m., Kimball said.

The suspect was given a field sobriety test because arresting officers observed alcohol intoxication, CHP Officer S. Geraty told a Newsreel camera crew.

A white van located about two blocks east at South Hoover and 113th streets was towed as evidence.

A Los Angeles County sheriff's sergeant told an On Scene video camera crew the van had crash damage that tied it to the hit-and-run.

Los Angeles County Police operate under the county Office of Public Safety, which was recently budgeted for 579 sworn officers, 140 support professionals, and more than 800 contract employees.

Employees of the Office of Public Safety are responsible for security at more than 450 county facilities, including hospitals and parks.

The county Board of Supervisors agreed in December to merge county police with the Sheriff's Department. The merger is expected to take place in June.