A Honolulu police officer was injured Monday afternoon when his patrol car hit a utility pole on Lualualei Homestead Road while going to assist in the pursuit of a vehicle carrying suspects allegedly involved in the assault of a woman. 

The crash was reported at 1:07 p.m. near Puhawai Road. Police said the officer was responding to a domestic violence call when the car hit a pole and caught fire. The officer, 35, escaped the burning vehicle, police said.

The officer’s injuries did not appear to be life-threatening, an emergency services spokeswoman said. Paramedics took the officer to a hospital in stable condition.

Police closed Lualualei Road in both directions. It was still closed at 5:15 p.m. but expected to reopen shortly thereafter.

Police were responding to a report of a man assaulting and dragging a woman into a car. Two officers located the car on Lualualei and the third officer was on his way to the scene to assist when his police vehicle crashed into the utility pole, police said. A fourth officer arrived at the crash scene shortly afterward.

Two men, meanwhile, were arrested in connection with the original case on Lualualei Homestead Road near the crash. A Wahiawa man, 39, was arrested on suspicion of abuse of a household member and resisting an order to stop a motor vehicle. He was taken to the hospital for observation. 

A Kapolei man, 28, was arrested for resisting an order to stop and driving without a license. He is being held pending charges at the Kapolei police station.