NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- A Northville Township police officer suffered brain injuries when his police cruiser crashed into another police cruiser during a police chase early Monday morning.

The four-year Northville Township police veteran underwent emergency surgery after he was airlifted to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. He is now listed in stable condition.

The other officer involved in the crash suffered minor injuries. He was taken to Providence Hospital in Novi, where he was treated and released. Local 4 has learned he went to visit the officer who was severely injured in the crash after he was released from the hospital.

Northville Township Police Chief John Werth told Local 4 that the police vehicles were involved in a stolen vehicle chase for about one minute and 45 seconds before the crash.

Northville Township police said that just before 4 a.m. they noticed a white Bonneville with stolen license plates was spotted in the parking lot of a Meijer on 8 Mile and Haggerty roads. However, the vehicle was reported stolen in Van Buren Township.

"You got to make a decision. Do you chase or don't you chase? The residents in any community expect their police to engage and try to stop this stuff," said Werth.

Werth said one cruiser did a turnaround and attempted to block the intersection at 6 Mile and Haggerty roads when he was T-boned by another police officer.

Witness Chris Baker explained what he saw.

"That guard car did a figure eight to start heading back up to Haggerty and there was an additional car that caught him off guard and hit him unexpectedly. … The driver of the car that did the figure eight actually ended up in the passenger side because of the hit," said Baker.

Local 4 has dashcam video of the crash.

Werth said the officer who was injured was trying to protect other vehicles from crashing at the intersection.

"He blocked the intersection so there were no bystanders that would come through that intersection and be hurt. Unfortunately, his decision to protect someone else's life has landed him in the hospital," said Werth.

The stolen vehicle was ditched about half a mile from the crash scene.

The driver of the stolen vehicle was arrested, police said, but they are still looking for two men, described only as in their 20s, in connection with the stolen vehicle investigation.