Four police officers and a man came in contact with chemicals in a vehicle near Orono, sending the five to the hospital, authorities said Tuesday.

The Orono officers involved in the incident Monday night have been checked out and released, authorities said Tuesday. The man, whose identity has yet to be released, remains hospitalized at North Memorial Medical Center.

The officers were called about 9 p.m. Monday night to the 3300 block of Shoreline Drive in Navarre, where they found a man in a locked vehicle and apparently unconscious, according to fire officials.

As officers tried to take him from the vehicle, he became confrontational.

At some point during the struggle, said Fire Chief James Van Eyll, the officers either ingested or came into contact with a chemical that was on the man's body.

"There was no chemical in the car itself," Van Eyll said. "Not really sure what it is."

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482