By Suzie Ziegler
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A shocking traffic stop caught on dashcam shows the moment an officer was run over while trying to take a man into custody.
The video shows Franklin Police Officer Dustyn Stevens struggling with Roy Nicholson after pulling Nicholson over for a traffic violation, FOX 17 reported. Officer Matt Lamarr comes over to help, but Nicholson manages to fight his way back into his car and starts driving away. The officers are dragged before being knocked to the ground and into oncoming traffic. While fleeing, Nicholson runs over Stevens’ legs.
“It could’ve run over his chest, his head, all of these different vital organs, so the fact that it ran over his legs, and they weren’t broken, is really miraculous,” said Lt. Charlie Warner of the Franklin Police Department.
Warner says the situation could have been much worse if the officers had been any closer to oncoming cars.
“We had officers hurt. But they could have been killed. That really drives home the importance to all of us as drivers to move over,” Warner said.
Witnesses helped officers find Nicholson, who was taken into custody a short time later, according to the report. Nicholson is charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a first responder and felony evading. Police say Nicholson is now free on a $40,000 bond.