A Seal Beach police officer conducting a traffic stop was struck and injured Saturday by a suspected DUI motorist who was later arrested.

It happened at 3:15 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway around Mariner Drive, according to Seal Beach police Sgt. Nick Nicholas.

“During that time, the Seal Beach officer was standing near his parked patrol car when it was suddenly rear-ended by an unrelated Ford F-150 traveling southbound on Pacific Coast Highway,” Nicholas said.

The officer was knocked to the ground and suffered injuries described as moderate, he said.

A police volunteer happened to be passing by and immediately began to aid the fallen officer while calling for help, Nicholas said.

The driver of the pickup truck lost control, crashed into a nearby wall and fled the scene on foot, the sergeant said.

“With the assistance of the Huntington Beach Police Department, the suspect was located a short distance away and taken into custody without further incident,” Nicholas said. He was not injured.

Kenneth Jacob Lopez, 30, of Huntington Beach was arrested by the California Highway Patrol for suspicion of felony hit-and-run and DUI, Nicholas said.

The CHP investigation continued and anyone with information was asked to call CHP Officer J. Billington at 714-892-4426.

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