Person sent to hospital, suspected of DUI after crashing into Gresham police car

A man was cited for allegedly driving under the influence after his car struck a police car in Gresham early Sunday morning.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man was cited to appear in court on suspicion of driving under the influence after his car struck a police car in Gresham early Sunday morning.

At roughly 1 a.m., the driver of a Ford Mustang struck the "marked police car" near East Burnside Street, west of 162nd Avenue. The police car had no one in it but was there with emergency lighting activated in order to "block traffic for an unrelated traffic crash investigation," police said.

According to a Gresham Police Department spokesperson, there was no one occupying the police vehicle at the time but the driver was checked by medical personnel at the hospital after the airbag deployed. The driver, a 21-year-old Gresham resident, was cited to appear in court rather than be arrested.

Authorities said a factor in not sending the driver to jail after being checked out at a hospital was the fact that "protest activity downtown was affecting intake capabilities at jail."

This is a developing story. KOIN 6 News will update this article if more information becomes available.