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Mayor Bibb’s Cleveland police escort involved in downtown crash Thursday morning | Cleveland

click to enlarge Mayor Bibb's police escort involved in accident in downtown Cleveland Thursday morning

Mayor Justin Bibb was involved in a car accident downtown Thursday morning while being transported to City Hall in a black Cleveland Division of Police Ford Expedition.

According to surveillance video obtained by Fox 8, Bibb’s SUV was traveling north on East 12th around 9 a.m. when a westbound minivan crashed into the back of the Expedition while the Cleveland police vehicle appeared to be running a red light.

Emergency medical services immediately took Bibb to the hospital as a precaution. City officials said the mayor was still recovering Thursday afternoon and did not suffer serious injuries. It is unclear if the other driver sustained any injuries, but initial reports indicate no one suffered serious injuries.

In the Channel 19 report, witnesses to the accident said they saw Bibb “bleeding from his forehead.”

“I gave him a towel to put on his head and wipe the blood off,” a witness said. “People came over to give him water. But he seemed OK. He was a little dazed when he got out of the SUV.”

In a statement to Scene, a City Hall spokesperson said Bibb’s driver was “on emergency response” — meaning he had red and blue lights flashing — as he cautiously approached Superior. The spokesperson did not say why the response was necessary.

“The mayor, his driver and others involved are fine,” the statement said.

“The police department is currently investigating the incident and is following established processes and procedures for motor vehicle accidents,” it said. “No further information is available at this time.”

“He is doing well,” a city hall spokesman wrote in a text message to Scene on Thursday afternoon. “I have nothing further to report at this time.”

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