Two Inver Grove Heights police officers and a civilian passenger were injured when their two squad cars collided Friday evening, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The officers were responding to a medical call with their lights activated when the broadside crash happened shortly after 6 p.m. in the intersection of 65th Street E. and Cahill Avenue.

State Patrol records indicated that one officer was in critical condition Friday night, while the others had injuries that weren't life-threatening. All three were taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, said Lt. Eric Roeske of the State Patrol.

Authorities had not released the names of those injured on Friday evening. Roeske said it was too early to say what caused the crash. The passenger was not a suspect or an arrestee, he said.

After colliding, the squad cars slid into a third vehicle whose driver suffered no apparent injuries, according to the State Patrol.

SARAH LEMAGIE