Police: Officer, driver hurt in accident while cop responded to call

A Riverhead Town police officer and a 19-year-old driver suffered minor injuries in an accident that occurred when the officer was responding to an emergency call Thursday afternoon in Wading River, police said.

The police cruiser had its lights and sirens activated at the time of the accident, police said.

Officer Christopher Pendzick was operating police cruiser unit 604 north on Hulse Landing Road when Benjamin Simone, of Wading River, driving a 2003 Infiniti G35, attempted to make a left turn onto 20th Street — just as Pendzick was attempting to pass him on the left hand side, police said.

The impact caused both vehicles to veer off the roadway and into a yard, where police said they both crashed into a small shed and the home. No one in the house was injured.

Both Pendzick and Simone were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment and were later released.

No charges have been filed.

The investigation is continuing and police are asking anyone with knowledge of the accident to call the Detective Division at 631-727-4500, extension 321.