Motorcyclist critically injured, 42-year-old Phoenix Police detective injured, both taken to hospital, after a multi-vehicle crash on the Loop 101 Pima Freeway in Phoenix.

A motorcyclist was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries and a police detective was injured after a multi-car crash that closed the Loop 101 Pima Freeway on Sunday.

The crash happened about 5:30 p.m. near Seventh Street in the eastbound lanes when the detective in an SUV was pulling over a passenger car, said the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The detective's SUV was rear-ended by a pickup truck pulling a camping trailer and sideswiped the car, Garcia said, adding that the impact pushed the detective's SUV a "couple hundred feet" further east into the HOV lane.

Another SUV had slowed down due to the traffic congestion in the HOV lane and as it approached the crash the motorcyclist slammed into the back of that SUV, throwing the rider, police said.

The motorcyclist was taken to John C. Lincoln Mountain Hospital.

The 42-year-old police detective was in stable condition and improving after suffering moderate non-life-threatening injuries, said Phoenix Officer James Holmes on Monday.

Holmes did not identify the detective, but said he is a 16-year veteran of the department.

No other information was immediately available.

The east bound lanes were closed until just before midnight.