Two Winnipeg police officers were hospitalized after their cruiser was struck Thursday night around 10:15p.m. during a high-speed pursuit in the North End.

Winnipeg police said the pursuit followed traffic stop in the area of Powers Street and Magnus Avenue, which was initiated by a different cruiser.

Const. Jay Murray said a vehicle was pulled over by police because it was being operated in an erratic manner at a high rate of speed.

When officers approached the stopped vehicle, the driver sped off and a pursuit began.

Police said the driver of the vehicle was travelling fast with police chasing it when it went through a stop sign and struck a different police cruiser at the intersection of the Pritchard Avenue and McKenzie Street.

The pursuit lasted for around one kilometer before the collision occurred, police said.

The occupants of the suspect vehicle left the scene of the crash on foot and were tracked by members of the K-9 unit to a home in the 700 block of Redwood Avenue.

Police wouldn’t say how many people were in the suspect vehicle, but officers said the driver, a man in his 20s, is known to police and is now in custody.

The two officers, ages 48 and 40, that were in the car that was hit had to be extricated from their cruiser by emergency personnel using the Jaws of Life.

They were taken to hospital, but have since been released and are at home resting, police said.

Police wouldn’t elaborate on the nature of the officers’ injuries, but Murray said it’s lucky they weren’t hurt worse.

“I think this incident speaks to the dangers our guys and girls face when doing good work out there,” said Murray. “This situation outcome could’ve been very different had they been hit in any different manner.”

“We’re lucky the equipment we have…those cruiser cars can keep us safe, but this easily could’ve been a different situation.”

 Winnipeg police said Friday afternoon it’s unlikely the officers in the cruiser that was hit even knew the pursuit was happening in the area. Police said it could’ve been anyone in that intersection. The fact a police cruiser was hit, appears to be nothing more than coincidence.

Both male officers who were hurt are constables working in general patrol in the North End.

No charges have been laid at this time.