Police Investigating Collision Involving Hermosa Officer

The Redondo Beach Police Department is investigating a collision that happened Tuesday on Artesia Boulevard involving a Hermosa Beach Police Department motorcycle officer.

The collision occurred around 6 p.m. when the officer's motorcycle came into contact with the rear of a BMW convertible that the officer was trying to pull over for a traffic violation in the 1100 block of Artesia Boulevard.

Officer Anthony Parente was ejected from his motorcycle and landed in the back seat of the vehicle. He suffered injuries and spent a night in the hospital.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or an intentional act, said Redondo police Lt. Joe Hoffman.

"What we're trying to determine now is how fast the officer was going, if the vehicle came to a sudden stop before pulling over all the way to the curb and what exactly caused two vehicles to collide," he said.

The driver, whose identity has not been released by the police, spoke with investigators at the time of the collision and did provide a statement, Hoffman said.

Officers from one beach city often take enforcement action in the others because the communities are so close together. "It is very, very common, and this was one of those cases," Hoffman said.

No arrests have been made.

Anyone who may have witnessed or has information about this incident is requested to contact the Redondo Beach Police Department Investigations Division by calling 310-937-6685, e-mailing crimetips@redondo.org or text-messaging 310-339-2362.