The NYPD cruiser, apparently involved in a chase in the East New York section, crashed on Atlantic Avenue at Van Siclen Avenue, just after 2:30 a.m.
Police believe the pursuit began after cops spotted the black Nissan Altima, which was involved in another accident in Queens. The driver reportedly ran a red light and then refused to pull over for the officers, who ran the plates and learned they were chasing an apparent hit-and-run driver.
The chase came to an end when the driver crashed into a BMW stopped at a right light, injuring five people inside.
Police say the cruiser then slammed into the Nissan.
Witnesses said the impact caused the Nissan to spin out and flip several times, sending the BMW careening across the median and into the opposite lanes.
"Cop car right here had hit the black car, spinned it, it flipped like three times," one eyewitness said. "As it was flipping, it wound up hitting this car, made this car come on this side of the road, and it was a lot of people that was injured.
The driver of the Nissan was taken to Jamaica Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
He was later identified as 31-year-old Chance Deespina of Staten Island. He is charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, 10 counts of failure to obey traffic device, driving in the wrong direction on a one way street, driving while ability impaired and refusal to take breathalyzer.
The five people in the BMW, two men and three women, were hospitalized for various injuries.
The two police officers sustained neck and back injuries and were taken to Jamaica Hospital for treatment.
Much of Atlantic Avenue was closed for hours for the police investigation.