LAPD officer struck by car; distracted or drunk driving may be to blame

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Distracted or drunk driving may be to blame for a crash that sent a Los Angeles police officer to the hospital on Tuesday.

Investigators say the officer was behind his cruiser, talking to a civilian near Van Noord Avenue and Sarah Street just after midnight when a car slammed straight into him.

Medics rushed the officer to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank with leg injuries. His exact condition was not immediately known.

No one else was hurt.

Police say the driver could have been texting or driving under the influence.

The incident remained under investigation.