Blaine officer thrown from speeding Corvette during DWI stop in Minnesota

A Blaine police officer was hospitalised after a suspected drunk driver sped off with him partially inside the vehicle. The 58-year-old driver faces DUI and assault charges.

Blaine officer hurled from Corvette after suspect flees DWI scene

A Blaine, Minnesota police officer is recovering at home after being thrown from a moving Corvette during a DWI-related traffic stop on Monday afternoon, cbsnews.com reports.

The incident occurred shortly after 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Jefferson Street Northeast and Northtown Drive, where officers had responded to a crash. Witnesses told police that one of the drivers had been operating a Corvette "recklessly" prior to the collision, and an officer on scene observed signs of suspected impairment in that motorist.

While being questioned, the suspect turned and walked back toward his vehicle, climbed into the driver's seat, and reversed sharply. Officer Patrick Graves, who was partially inside the Corvette at the time, was thrown from the car as the driver shifted into forward gear and accelerated away. The suspect subsequently lost control and crashed into a retaining wall, overturning the vehicle.

Both Graves and the suspect were transported to hospital with undisclosed injuries. Graves, a three-year veteran of the Blaine Police Department, has since been discharged and is recuperating at home.

The driver, a 58-year-old man from Spring Lake Park, is now held at Anoka County Jail and is expected to face multiple charges, including driving under the influence and assault.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)