Early Friday morning, around 6 a.m., a Cincinnati Police Department (CPD) cruiser was rear‑ended on Interstate 75 near the I‑74 interchange. The collision forced the highway to shut down for roughly half an hour while emergency crews responded and cleared the area.

Officer’s condition and CPD response

CPD confirmed that the officer inside the cruiser was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. As of this writing, the department has not released an update on the officer’s condition. District 4 desk officers told WLWT that the cruiser was responding to a separate crash when it was struck, describing the event simply as an “incident.”

Impact on traffic

The sudden closure of I‑75 caused a brief traffic backup, but the lane was reopened after about thirty minutes once the damaged vehicle was moved and the scene was deemed safe. Motorists were advised to use alternate routes while the work was underway.

Eyewitness observations

A WLWT news crew that passed the scene reported seeing three vehicles near the damaged cruiser. The crew noted that the rear‑end damage to the police vehicle did not appear severe, though the exact extent of the damage was not confirmed.

CPD’s next steps

CPD has not announced any further investigation details, but standard procedure will include a review of dash‑cam footage, statements from the officer and any witnesses, and a traffic‑safety assessment of the location. The department typically shares updates with the public once more information becomes available.

Community safety reminder

Incidents like this underscore the importance of staying alert on the road, especially for emergency responders who are often the first on scene. CPD encourages drivers to give police vehicles ample space and to obey any temporary traffic control measures put in place during emergencies.

Residents with questions or concerns about the incident are encouraged to contact the Cincinnati Police Department’s public‑affairs office.

Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.