While attempting to prevent the theft of a patrol vehicle, a North Little Rock police officer grabbed on to the passenger door and was dragged 40 to 50 yards before the car crashed into a house Tuesday, a spokesman said.
Sgt. Brian Dedrick, a spokesman for North Little Rock police, said the officer was thrown into a fence on impact, injuring his head and hip. He was taken to UAMS Medical Center.
"He hit his head pretty hard. They were doing some scans," Dedrick said, adding that the injuries don't appear to be life-threatening.
Ranthony Stephenson, 25, the man who police said tried to abscond with the car, was taken to Baptist Health Medical Center in North Little Rock.
The incident began shortly after 7:30 a.m. when officers were sent to the 800 block of North F Street, responding to a report of a "partially unclothed" man harassing children at a bus stop, a news release said. He reportedly assaulted someone there, too, police said.
Officers arrived and spotted Stephenson, who reportedly climbed onto the roof of a storage building, the release said.
Police converged on the building, which was behind one of the houses on F Street, to try to apprehend him. Dedrick said the officer had pulled his car relatively close to the storage building, so it was close by when the pursued man jumped off the building and got behind the wheel. The officer grabbed on to the passenger side door to try to stop him, Dedrick said.
After traveling a short distance, the car crashed into the house, Dedrick said. He said officers used a stun gun on Stephenson multiple times and used pepper spray.
Dedrick said Stephenson was taken to jail about 2:15 p.m. He faces charges of second-degree battery, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, fleeing and theft of property.
Metro on 11/02/2016