Driver Playing Pokémon Go Hits Police Car: VIDEO

BALTIMORE, MD — A man searching for Pokémon instead found himself face-to-face with the Baltimore Police this week after he hit a police cruiser with his SUV.

The driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was playing the Pokémon Go game while behind the wheel. Authorities said he admitted he was looking down at his phone at the time of the crash.

"This could have easily ended in a tragedy," Baltimore Police spokesman T.J. Smith said. "Fortunately, the officers were not inside their patrol cars."

A police officer's body camera captured footage of the collision, in which a Toyota RAV4 could be seen sideswiping a Baltimore Police cruiser.

"That's what I get for playing this dumb [expletive] game," the driver said afterward, in the video.

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Nobody was hurt in the recent crash in the 2900 block of Eastern Avenue near Patterson Park, but police said the cruiser was damaged. Authorities were working with the state's attorney on filing charges.

Law enforcement wanted to use the collision to remind people about the danger of distraction, particularly surrounding the new game.

There have been reports around the country of people being robbed or injured while playing Pokémon Go, an app that uses a phone's location settings to create a semi-virtual world where the user is surrounded by Pokémon; the goal is to catch the character.

"There are way too many people that have their heads buried in their phone trying to catch a Pokémon, and the criminals are catching you," Smith said.

In two recent cases in Baltimore City, police said Pokémon Go players were robbed of their cell phones at gunpoint. One armed robbery was in the 2700 block of St. Lo Drive, and the other was in the 6700 block of Graceland Avenue, according to police, who said there was a suspect in the Graceland Avenue incident.

"We literally bump into people who are aimlessly wandering around playing this game," Smith said. He encouraged people to "play smart."

See Also:

• Group Playing Pokemon Go Robbed at Gunpoint in Parkville: Police
• Pokémon Go Craze Creates Niche Market in Baltimore Suburbs
• Don’t ‘Pokémon Go’ Behind The Wheel, Warns AAA
• Police: Pokémon Go Player Robbed Near Towson Courthouse

Police advised pedestrians and drivers alike to remain vigilant.

"Be mindful of where you're walking and where you're going, because there are criminals who are using this Pokémon game to catch you," Smith said.

"Don't play this Pokémon Game while you're driving," he added. "It's a game, but it's not a game when you're behind the wheel..."

Video from Baltimore Police.