Police say an Omaha man who slammed into a parked cruiser with an officer inside, was drunk and driving with two children in his minivan Friday night.
Thirty-nine-year-old David Rutherford was not hurt, nor were the children. The officer, Tom Hickey, was stopped near 144th and Q streets blocking traffic due to an earlier accident when the cruiser was struck on the driver's side just after 9:30 p.m. He was treated for cuts and bruises at Methodist Hospital and released.
Rutherford was arrested for refusal of a preliminary breath test, refusal of BAC test, DUI and two counts of child neglect. He was transported to Douglas County Corrections and booked into jail.
The police cruiser Rutherford hit was blocking eastbound traffic on Q Street from another accident involving alcohol at Q and Millard Avenue.
Police say an Acura with four teenagers who'd been drinking was heading north on Millard Avenue when the driver ran a red light and hit a Lumina going east on Q Street around 8:30 p.m. The Lumina then hit a third vehicle.
Two teens in the back seat of the Acura ran from the scene before police arrived. The driver of the Acura was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition. He was arrested for willful reckless driving and MIP. Another passenger was taken to Lakeside Hospital with minor injuries.
Police are looking for the two who fled. Witnesses say one of them was thrown from the vehicle.
The driver and passenger of the Lumina were taken to the Nebraska Medical Center for treatment of injuries not considered life threatening.