Philadelphia

Swerving Driver Drags Philadelphia Officer 500 Feet in Germantown

Investigators believe they know who was driving the car

Philadelphia police searched for a silver Pontiac Grand Prix after a driver dragged an officer 500 feet while making his escape in Germantown Thursday evening.

Police said the 28-year-old officer, who was in uniform, was not seriously injured, but the driver sped off after trying to lose the officer as he held onto the car.

Two uniformed stopped the vehicle for erratic driving and improperly registered tags at the intersection of 20th and Spencer streets in Germantown before 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

After the driver rolled down his window, the officers smelled marijuana and saw what appeared to be pot in the car, Small said.

As the officer reached into the vehicle to shut off the car after the driver didn't comply with a request to do so, the driver took off, Small said.

"The operator of the suspect vehicle took off at a high rate of speed... dragging the officer -- who was hanging onto the driver door of the open window -- and was dragged about 5000 feet northbound on Spencer Street," said Small.

"(The driver) was trying to shake the officer by making sudden turns... he was trying to wiggle the car to shake the officer off," Small said.

The incident left the officer -- a three-year veteran -- with cuts and bruises to his face and body and left his uniform ripped, Small said. The officer was taken to Einstein Medical Center.

Police continued to search for the car, which is registered to a home in the city, early Friday.

Investigators were confident they would get the driver, Small said. [[238427591, C]]

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