Philadelphia Police Officer Dragged By Vehicle During Traffic Stop
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)—A Philadelphia police officer is in stable condition this morning after he was dragged at least 500 feet by a vehicle during a traffic stop on Thursday night.
It happened around 10:30 p.m. at 20th and Spencer Streets in the East Germantown section of the city.
According to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, the 28-year-old unformed officer stopped a vehicle that appeared to be driving erratically with very tinted windows.
As officers attempted to approach the vehicle, police say they could smell an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and saw a "green leafy like substance" in plain view.
Small says the driver refused to get out of the vehicle or shut the engine off -- prompting the officer to reach inside to open the door. The suspect then drove off, dragging the officer from 20th and Spencer to the intersection of 20th and Godfrey.
"While dragging the police officer, while he was hanging on to the open door window of the vehicle, the suspect started swerving the vehicle left and right in order to shake the officer off of the vehicle," said Small. "The officer was able to hold on until the intersection of 20th and Godfrey, that's when the officer fell on to the highway and the vehicle was last seen going north on 20th Street from Godfrey."
The officer suffered cuts and bruises to his face and both hands were bleeding heavily, police say.
The 28-year-old was transported to Einstein Hospital where he remains in stable condition.
Police say they are searching for a 2005 silver Pontiac Grad Prix with Pennsylvania tags JLX9786.
"The vehicle is registered to a known person of the police; he has had some contact and arrests in the past," Small said. "The suspect is going to be looking at some pretty serious charges, such as, aggravated assault on police, resisting arrest, reckless endangerment and other related charges."
Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.
