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Oceanside Officer Injured In Collision

Suspected Drunken Driver Slams Into Officer's Car

POSTED: 1:23 pm PDT August 26, 2008
UPDATED: 1:26 pm PDT August 26, 2008

A drunken driver slammed head-on into a police car in the North County, causing minor injuries to an Oceanside police officer, the department announced Tuesday.

Officer James Smith was driving northbound in the 200 block of South Coast Highway around 2:30 a.m. Monday when his marked patrol car was struck by a southbound 2004 Toyota Camry, Officer Kim Rainwater of the Oceanside Police Department said.

The driver of the Camry, 78-year-old Antionett Saenz, had just finished making a left-hand turn onto South Coast Highway when she drove into Smith's car, Rainwater said.

Both drivers sustained minor injuries and were taken to Tri-City Medical Center, according to Rainwater.

Upon her release from the hospital, Saenz was booked into the Vista jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, Rainwater said.

Smith, a three-year department veteran, was treated and released to full-time duty, she said.

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