A Mishawaka police officer was killed and the driver of another vehicle was injured in an accident in Mishawaka on Saturday night.

The accident took place on Byrkit Street just south of McKinley Avenue, according to Mishawaka Police Chief Mike Samp.

Samp said the accident occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Samp said the officer involved in the accident was providing assistance on a call and was traveling southbound on Fir when the squad car was sideswiped by another vehicle.

The badly damaged squad car was on the side of the BP service station, which on the southeast corner of McKinley and Byrkit. Fir Road turns into Byrkit Street on the south side of McKinley.

Samp said the other driver was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. Samp did not identify the officer, nor did he give the name of the driver of the other vehicle pending the notification of the family members.

Samp also said he would not comment on reports that the officer who was fatally injured was a part of Mishawaka's K-9 unit and that the dog was also killed in the accident.

The accident forced the closure of McKinley for about a half mile.

Officers from the county FACT unit were also on the scene. Samp said the unit would investigate. However, Samp declined to say if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash because the investigation is in its early stages.

In addition, to the FACT unit, officers from the Indiana State Police and the St. Joseph County Police provided assistance.