Florida Highway Patrol trooper dragged 100 feet during traffic stop, video shows
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was dragged 100 feet while conducting a traffic stop in downtown Orlando, dashboard camera video shows.
Trooper Victor Rivera, 29 was attempting to pull over a white 2014 Toyota Corolla that was traveling at 81 mph in a 40 mph zone on Colonial Drive when the incident occurred, Lt. Kim Montes, public information officer for the Florida Highway Patrol, told ABC News.
As Rivera activated his lights, the car then began to drive "recklessly" and stopped at a railroad crossing as a train passed, Montes said.
After the car stopped, the driver, 22-year-old Elijah Wilson, got out and fled, while the passenger, 19-year-old Christopher Lewis, remained in the car, according to a police report obtained by ABC News.
Rivera lost sight of Wilson during the pursuit, but as he was returning to his patrol car he noticed that Wilson was hiding under a nearby truck, according to the report. Lewis was sitting in the driver's seat as Wilson ran back to the Corolla, and Wilson then allegedly told Lewis to drive off as he hung onto the car door and Rivera grabbed him.
Rivera then lost grip of Wilson and fell to the ground as the Corolla drove away, the report states. Wilson was able to re-enter the car as it fled the scene, Montes said.
Police were able to get in touch with Wilson after running the license plate for the Corolla, and Wilson identified Lewis as the driver who fled the scene, according to the report. A juvenile was also in the back seat of the car, Montes said.
Lewis allegedly confessed to being the driver while being interviewed by police and was charged with false imprisonment, aggressive battery on a law enforcement officer and first-degree attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, his online jail records show. He was booked into the Orange County Jail Thursday afternoon on $15,000 bond.
Wilson will be charged will speeding, fleeing an officer on foot, resisting arrest without violence and driving on a revoked license, Montes said. He has received a notice to appear in court but is not under arrest at this time.
The juvenile who was in the back seat was released to his parents after he was charged with obstruction for lying, Montes said. He will make an appearance in juvenile court on a later date, Montes said.
Rivera has been a trooper in Orlando for four years, Montes said. He sustained non-life threatening injuries but is resting at home with cuts, abrasions and bruises, Montes said.
