Spokane Police are investigating after an 18-year-old driver took off from a traffic stop, dragging an officer for a short distance before striking a citizen's vehicle, and crashing into a yard in North Spokane.
John O'Brien with the Spokane Police said it all started around 1 p.m. when an officer attempted to stop a car near Lacey and Hoffman. The driver pulled over, and as the officer approached the car, the driver decided to take off. When he drove off he struck the officer with the vehicle and the officer's arm was stuck inside the moving car, dragging him about a third of a block before he got his arm free.
Responding officers gave chase to the vehicle as it was fleeing the scene and attempted to pull him over again using lights and sirens, but the driver continued to evade police.
Police say near Garry Middle School, the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Zachary Woods, drove out of an alley onto Nevada Street where he struck another car headed northbound on Nevada, then kept going about a block, where he "drove or crashed" into a yard of a nearby house.
Woods attempted to get out of the car and run on foot, but was taken into custody quickly.
Woods, the officer and the driver of the car involved in the hit-and-run crash were all taken to a nearby hospital with injuries not thought to be life-threatening.
Once Woods is released from the hospital, police say he will booked into Spokane County Jail for first degree assault, felony hit and run, and attempting to elude a police officer.
Major Crimes detectives responded to the scene to conduct a thorough investigation.
Police say it's not clear why Woods ran from the traffic stop. Officer O'Brien reminds you if you get pulled over, it's best if you just stop.
"If you've got some issues that we need to take care of... It's always better to take care of that and don't add on charges," O'Brien said.
(story: Matt Pusatory, KHQ Local News Web Producer; photo: Patrick Erickson, KHQ)