Cecil Co. Deputies Dragged, Struck By Car Responding To Domestic Assault
ELKTON, Md. (WJZ) — Two Cecil County Sheriff's Office deputies are injured after being dragged and hit by a car while intervening in a domestic assault.
The deputies responded to the 100 block of Avalon Avenue in Elkton, Md., for a call of a domestic assault.
When they arrived, they made contact with the victim, a woman who stated the suspect, a man identified as Angel Louis Rodriguez, 26, had put his hands around her neck and tried to choke her after an argument occurred at the home.
The woman said the suspect had tried to punch her multiple times while she blocked the strikes with her arms. She said she then went into the bathroom to call 911.
At that time, the suspect left the home in a black, Volkswagen Jetta.
Deputies saw bruising on the victim's arms that were consistent with defensive injuries. They said the suspect had been drinking alcoholic beverages throughout the day.
Deputies then saw the Jetta driving at high speeds through the neighborhood before getting onto the driveway of the home.
Corporal Jonathan Pristash approached the vehicle and tried to make contact with Rodriguez. Rodriguez locked the door and tried to place the car into gear as Pristash approached.
Pristach reached inside the car to try to prevent it from being put in motion. Rodriguez was able to put the car in gear, dragging Pristach, and Rodriguez was holding onto Pristach's equipment as the vehicle was in motion.
Corporal Mark Messner saw the struggle and approached the car from the passenger side. Messner was struck by an open door from the vehicle while it was moving.
Pristach continued struggling with Rodriguez but was ultimately able to move Rodriguez and himself from the car. He was also hit by the car during the struggle.
Messner saw the car moving toward the roadway with no one in it, and ran after the car and turned the car away from pedestrians. He was hit by the car during these events. It continued moving toward a nearby yard hitting a Delmarva utility box and finally struck a parked, unoccupied GMC Yukon.
Pristash tried to put Rodriguez into custody but he resisted to the arrest. Rodriguez grabbed and tried to remove Pristash's firearm from his holster.
The two deputies were ultimately able to place Rodriguez until custody. The two were then taken to Union Hospital, where they were treated and released.
Rodriguez was taken to Union Hospital by ambulance and later taken to University of Maryland.
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