A 41-year-old man has been arrested for assaulting firefighters, and two responding officers suffered bumps and bruises when their patrol cars collided.
Shortly after noon, Seattle firefighters were rendering medical aid to a man near 7th Avenue and Cherry St. For reasons not yet known, their patient suddenly became their assailant, fighting with the medics trying to treat the man.
An emergency back-up request was made to police in the area to help the assailed firefighters. Officers from both the East and West precincts responded toward the scene.
The first officers to arrive were also assaulted by the man before he could be taken into custody. None of the firefighters or officers involved were injured during the assault.
While officers were responding to the emergency, two patrol cars collided at 7th Ave and Pine St, sending one of the patrol cars careening into a parked tour bus. Some occupants of the tour bus were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Though a jarring collision, both officers were uninjured.
The circumstances surrounding the collision are still being investigated.
Officers are overseeing the suspect at Harborview Medical Center before he is to be booked into King County Jail for investigation of felony assault.