Police Make Arrest After Driver Strikes Miramar Officer, Takes Off
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Miramar police identified the man they say struck a police officer with his car early Friday morning and then fled the scene.
Authorities said Johnny Lee Morris Jr, 20, has been arrested and charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries and providing a false name to law enforcement.
The officer's body camera video captured the entire incident.
Watch the officer's body cam video:
The Miramar police officer was hospitalized after he was struck by Morris.
Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues said around 4:30 a.m. the officer attempted to do a traffic stop on a vehicle that was driving recklessly.
Rues said the officer followed the vehicle to a shopping plaza in the 6800 block of Miramar Parkway in the Miramar Crossings plaza.
"The driver was attempting to use the ATM machine. The officer approached the driver. At that point in time, the driver went towards his vehicle, got into his vehicle. There was some type of altercation with our officer and the driver fled the scene. Unfortunately, our officer was struck by the vehicle, he has serious injuries and was transported to the hospital," she said.
The injured officer was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with what appeared to a leg injury. Rues said his injuries were serious.
The officer was wearing a body cam and police will be reviewing the video to see if it helps identify the driver or vehicle.
Rues said the officer and his family will be allowed to view the video before it is released to the public.