Witnesses: Apple Valley cop ran red light, triggering crash with injury

Witnesses say an Apple Valley police officer ran a red light in his squad car and struck a minivan in a three-vehicle crash that sent all three drivers to the hospital, according to authorities.

The officer was not on a call in his marked squad car and did not have his lights or siren activated at the time of the crash shortly after 12:20 p.m. Wednesday at 140th Street and Galaxie Avenue, according to the State Patrol.

Treated for noncritical injuries at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville were Officer Mark Shaw, 57, of Apple Valley, minivan driver Sara Engel, 50, of Apple Valley, and Matthew Stephenson, 17, of Rosemount, the patrol added.

According to the patrol:

Shaw was heading east on 140th and struck the minivan, which was turning left from southbound Galaxie onto eastbound 140th.

The minivan then hit Stephenson's car, which was waiting to turn left from westbound 140th onto southbound on Galaxie.

"According to witnesses, the squad car went through a red light," said Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske.

Engel, at home recovering from bumps and bruises, said, "I had the green arrow" when making the turn.

She said the squad car hit her on the passenger side, and "I didn't see him until impact."

The patrol is heading the investigation "because this crash involved a personal injury [and] to avoid any issues surrounding a conflict of interest since one of our officers was involved in the crash," said Apple Valley Police Capt. Mike Marben.