Duluth man seriously injured after being struck by Bemidji squad car

A pedestrian suffered serious injuries when a Bemidji, Minnesota, police officer struck him with a squad car early Wednesday morning.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the crash happened at approximately 1:12 a.m. on Irvine Avenue near 18th Street Northwest. The squad car, driven by a 54-year-old man, had been northbound when it struck a man who was in the roadway. 

The pedestrian was identified as a 36-year-old man from Duluth, Minnesota. He suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Investigators believe he may have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

According to the crash report, the squad car, a 2021 Ford Explorer, was traveling in "normal, non-emergency mode." The police officer was not injured.

The incident remains under investigation.