Mississippi

WATCH: “Car Twisted Around Like a Tornado,” Crash Witness Says

Ruby Evans witnessed a van hit a police car in Jackson, Mississippi, on Monday, sending the cruiser careening into a utility pole and injuring the officer — but it's Evans' on-camera reaction to the crash that's getting all the attention.

"The police car just twist around like a tornado, girl!" Evans, who witnessed the accident, told NBC affiliate WLBT.

"I guess the police was trying to do a stop point, the man said 'No! Not today!' And they began to race behind each other like cats and dogs," Evans said. "Girl, he hit the pole, his head went to one side and his body went to the other side and this is the result. Lord, be with this young man, he need a blessing."

Here's the police version of the incident: A Jackson State University police officer was pursuing a van north of the university campus when the van plowed into a Jacksonville Police Department officer in his squad car, police spokesperson Colendula Green said. The squad car careened into a utility pole, injuring the officer inside.

But that formal recount of events pales in comparison to Evans' description of the crash.

"What I [saw] was that the police officer was merging toward the front. And the car gunned a little right and then the police officer kind of submerged and both of them interacted and it was a full twist about.... And the lord just shook it up and the man just got injured."

The officer, a 10-year veteran of the force, was set to be released from the hospital Wednesday, WLBT reported.

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