Officer hit by accused drunk driver while trying to arrest suspect, Georgia cops say
A Georgia officer is in the hospital after he and the person he was chasing were hit by a suspected drunk driver in Atlanta early Tuesday, Dec. 6, police and local outlets report.
The incident happened around 12 a.m. near Jonesboro Road as the officer was trying to make an arrest, according to the Atlanta Police Department. Police responded to a call about a man threatening a woman with a gun at a nearby gas station.
An officer spotted the accused suspect, who then ran away, authorities said. The man led police on a chase into the woods before running onto a street with oncoming traffic.
Multiple cars stopped as the chase continued, but a driver believed to be intoxicated went around the vehicles and hit the officer, WSB-TV reported. The man the officer was attempting to arrest was also struck.
The officer suffered multiple injuries and was taken to a hospital in stable condition, police said. Authorities haven’t named the him but said he is a four-year veteran of the department, according to WGCL.
“That officer and family needs your prayers,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said, according to WAGA. “APD will be here with family until he makes a full recovery, which is what our prayers are for this morning.”
The suspect from the original 911 call was also taken to a hospital with minor injuries and faces multiple charges including obstruction and discharging a controlled substance, Atlanta police said.
The driver of the car that was involved in the crash has been arrested, WAGA and WXIA reported. The incident remains under investigation.
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