WORCESTER — A police cruiser and at least two other vehicles were in an accident this afternoon at Summer and East Central streets, putting downtown traffic into gridlock for more than hour.

A police officer with a trickle of blood running down his head hopped into an ambulance, while another man sat sideways out of a Honda Odyssey minivan that appeared to have heavy front-end damage.



A woman who had to be helped out of a black Lincoln sport utility vehicle also was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.



The police cruiser appeared to have sustained heavy damage to the passenger side. The police Accident Reconstruction Unit was called to the accident.



A witness waiting to give a statement to police said he saw the Honda minivan strike the police cruiser. The force of the impact sent the front of the police cruiser into the driver's side of the SUV, he said. He said his brother rushed to help the man in the minivan; he said he checked on the police officer.



The accident, which occurred about 4:30 p.m., forced the closure of Summer Street from Washington Square to East Central Street. Traffic in the area was snarled for more than an hour.