An Emporia police officer was trapped inside his cruiser early this morning when a car chase ended in a one-vehicle accident shortly after midnight in the 1300 block of East Street.
Officer Randy Couts was taken by ambulance to Newman Regional Health after he was extricated from his patrol car. Couts since has been released.
According to a police news release, Couts was trying to stop a dark-colored sports utility vehicle in the area of Sixth Avenue and Sylvan Street when the vehicle sped north on Sylvan. The SUV turned east onto Eighth Avenue and then onto East Street, where it continued north.
Couts lost control of the police car, which hit a parked SUV before striking a group of mailboxes at 1302 East St.
The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
The police department is asking that anyone with information about the fleeing SUV call police at 343-4200 or Lyon County Crimestoppers at 342-2273.