An Escondido police officer was injured early Thursday morning in a hit-and-run crash involving a DUI suspect.
The incident began just after 4 a.m. in the 400 block of West Vermont Avenue as officers were responding to a report of a domestic violence.
One of the officers was driving east on Vermont toward Escondido Boulevard when his patrol vehicle was struck in the right rear by a white Honda Civic, according to a news release from the Escondido Police Department.
The Honda continued past the patrol car, striking two parked cars before coming to a stop in the 100 block of Vermont Avenue.
The driver of the Honda then jumped out of the car and ran off. The officer, who suffered lower back pain in the crash, chased the suspect before succumbing to his pain, police said.
Responding officers found the driver, identified as 19-year-old Mario Ontiveros of Escondido, near Juniper Elementary School.
Ontiveros was treated at Palomar Hospital for minor injuries before being booked in jail on suspicion of felony DUI, felony hit and run, two counts of misdemeanor of hit and run and driving with a suspended license.
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Police said Ontiveros also has a prior DUI and a hit-and-run arrest from August 2013.
The officer also was treated at Palomar Hospital and later released.
