Fountain Hills residents were startled New Year’s Eve to see what appeared to be a significant police presence at the scene of a traffic accident at Fountain Hills and El Lago boulevards.

There were some Facebook reports that it was believed to be a fatal collision.

However, according to Maricopa County Sheriff's Office spokesman Joaquin Enriquez, the accident was in fact “minor,” but it involved a Sheriff’s deputy responding to an emergency call.

The deputy was headed west on El Lago in an SUV patrol vehicle with lights and siren when she was struck by an 80-year-old woman driving a Toyota Prius southbound on Fountain Hills Boulevard.

The deputy was taken to the hospital as a precaution for minor injuries. The driver of the Toyota was not injured, according to Enriquez.

However, deputies investigating the accident reported the woman was tested for alcohol and found to be slightly impaired while driving.

The woman told deputies she heard the sirens and also admitted running a red light at the intersection.

Since the accident involved an on-duty deputy, Sheriff’s Office traffic detectives responded to investigate the collision, which restricted traffic on Fountain Hills Boulevard for some time on New Year’s Eve.