UPDATED: Police car involved in crash in Santa Fe Springs

SANTA FE SPRINGS -- A crash involving a police car and two civilian cars sent a police officer and two others to the hospital Wednesday, authorities said.

Whittier police Officer Brian Casaol suffered moderate injuries, Cruz Ponce, 40, of Whittier suffered moderate injuries, a 69-year-old Whittier woman suffered major injuries, and a 31-year-old Whittier man was not hurt, California Highway Patrol Officer David Schueller said in a written statement. All here in stable condition when hospitalized, police added.

The crash took place about 6:50 p.m. in the intersection of Bloomfield and Florence avenues, officials said.

The Whittier Police Department officer was northbound on Bloomfield Avenue responding to a call of a downed bicyclist with his emergency lights and siren on when the crash occurred, Whittier police Lt. Steve Dean said.

The officer stopped at a red light at Florence Avenue before proceeding through the intersection at about 10 mph, Schueller said. Ponce was driving a 1989 Ford Thunderbird westbound on Florence Avenue with the 69-year-old woman as a passenger.

"(Ponce) failed to yield to Officer Casaol's patrol vehicle's emergency lights and siren and entered the intersection, striking the passenger-side door of the patrol unit," Schueller said.

The impact pushed the patrol car into a 2000 Cadillac DeVille being driven by a 31-year-old Whittier man, he added. The driver of the Cadillac was not injured.