Three Injured in Crash Involving LAPD Patrol Car in Exposition Park

Published: September 19, 2026
By: Yaghmai Law Firm, APC

(Los Angeles, CA) – Three people were hurt, two of them taken to hospitals, in a Saturday afternoon collision that involved a Los Angeles Police Department patrol car in the Exposition Park area, according to reports.

The crash happened at roughly 3:40 p.m. Saturday in the vicinity of West Exposition Boulevard and Western Avenue, CBS2 reported, citing LAPD officials.

The conditions of the two people who were hospitalized were not immediately available, and no descriptions of those involved were released. It also remained unclear what led to the collision, and whether officers had been responding to a call with emergency lights and siren activated was not known, according to the report.

Efforts by City News Service to obtain further details from LAPD Media Relations and the department's Southwest Division were unsuccessful.

Analysis of the Exposition Park Collision

When a crash involves a government-operated vehicle such as a police patrol car, the legal framework differs in important ways from an ordinary two-car collision, though the same duty of care remains a starting point. Under California Civil Code section 1714(a), everyone is generally responsible for injury caused to another by a lack of ordinary care, and investigators typically reconstruct the sequence of events, review any available video, and interview witnesses before any conclusions are drawn.

If evidence eventually shows that an officer was responding to an emergency call, a separate set of rules may come into play. California Vehicle Code section 21055 can exempt the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from certain traffic laws when the vehicle is responding to an emergency, sounding a siren, and displaying a lighted red lamp. That exemption is not absolute, however. Section 21056 provides that the exemption does not relieve an emergency-vehicle driver of the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of everyone using the road. Because the available report did not establish whether lights and siren were in use, whether these provisions apply is exactly the kind of question an investigation would need to resolve.

Speed and prudence under the circumstances can also be relevant. The Basic Speed Law, Vehicle Code section 22350, requires that no one drive faster than is reasonable and prudent given traffic, visibility, and road conditions. Where a statutory violation is established and it proximately causes injury of the kind the statute was meant to prevent, Evidence Code section 669 may allow a presumption of negligence. Any resulting fault could be allocated among the parties, with non-economic damages apportioned by percentage of responsibility under Civil Code section 1431.2, and recoverable damages measured under Civil Code section 3333 to compensate for the detriment proximately caused.

What Injured People and Their Families Can Do

Because a public entity may be involved, timing is critical: a written government claim generally must be presented to the public entity within six months of the incident under Government Code section 911.2, and Government Code section 945.4 bars a lawsuit for damages until that claim has been presented and acted upon or deemed rejected. The ordinary two-year deadline for personal injury actions under Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 also applies in the background, drivers involved in an injury crash have separate reporting obligations under Vehicle Code sections 16000 and 20008, and it is wise to obtain the traffic collision report, seek prompt medical follow-up, and preserve any photographs or witness information.

Were you, or someone you love, involved in this crash? A California car accident lawyer at Yaghmai Law Firm can explain your options and deal with the insurance companies for you. Call or text (888) 800-6731 or request a free case review.

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About the Author

Houtan Yaghmai, Esq., President & Managing Attorney of Yaghmai Law Firm, APC. California State Bar No. 298487. Speaks English, French, and Persian. The firm represents personal injury clients throughout Southern California – consultations by phone, text, or video, no office visits required.

This post was assembled with AI assistance from publicly reported news sources cited below. All California Vehicle Code references were verified against leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Facts were re-checked via additional web searches before publication. This post is based on initial news reports and may be updated as new facts develop. Nothing in this article is legal advice. Yaghmai Law Firm, APC is not associated with the investigating agencies and does not represent any party named in this post unless explicitly stated.

Sources:
1. MyNewsLA – Two Hospitalized in Crash Involving LAPD Patrol Car in Exposition Park