The police officer did a U-turn on the Wimmera Highway, 10 kilometres west of Murtoa, and crashed into a car at 1.20pm.

He was attempting to intercept a speeding vehicle.

Sergeant Paul Stratoff of Horsham police said both vehicles were significantly damaged but the occupants of the other car, from Myers Flat near Bendigo, were not injured.

"The police car, a Ford Territory, was destroyed," he said.

"The police officer pulled out to intercept a vehicle speeding in the opposite direction - he allowed a couple of cars to go past but a third vehicle struck him."

Sgt Stratoff said the police officer suffered soft tissue injuries and was released from Wimmera Base Hospital on Sunday night.

An independent senior police officer will investigate the crash and make a recommendation to divisional command.

•ST ARNAUD police caught a man driving with a blood alcohol level of .230 on Sunday night.

The Werribee man, 32, was breath-tested in Melbourne Road, St Arnaud, at 11.27pm after police received a phone call from a concerned motorist about the man's erratic driving from Stuart Mill to St Arnaud.

Sergeant Mick Collins of St Arnaud police said it was the worst case of driving under the influence of alcohol he had seen.

"The matter was made worse in that he was unlicensed," he said.

Sgt Collins said the man would appear at St Arnaud Magistrate's Court on January 14, facing charges of drink driving and unlicensed driving.