Two officers were struck around 2 a.m. Tuesday as they stood in a convenience store’s parking lot.
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According to a statement from a Phoenix Police Department spokesman obtained by PEOPLE, the vehicle fractured one of the fleeing officer’s legs and threw another officer – who was on the first day on the job – eight feet into the air.
Two of the police officers sustained serious injuries, but officials said they don’t appear to be life-threatening.
A third officer jumped out of the way, but was injured in a struggle while arresting Payne.
Payne was booked into jail on suspicion of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, criminal damage, assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting arrest.
One police officer in Phoenix, Arizona nearly didn’t survive his first day on the job, after a driver tried to run him and two other officers over. The third officer was taken as a precaution, evaluated and released, McDade said. All three were hurt, two of them seriously.
Authorities say the auto Payne was driving struck a police vehicle and then crashed into the store.
Shocking video of a driver deliberately ramming into three officers with his auto at a petrol station has been released by United States police. This is a violent, cowardly act on our police officers, and it’s simply unacceptable.
“The defendant was tased numerous times by two officers”, states the police report.
“We are confident that this is an intentional act”, Phoenix Police Chief Joseph Yahner said at an afternoon news conference.
According to court documents, Payne continued to inflict violence on the officers even after he ran them over, physically fighting with officers after the crash. “[The suspect] runs over us and then he still fights with us as we’re trying to take him into custody”. He suffered a broken leg and is resting at home, police said.
Payne is facing charges that include attempted murder and he won’t be released for a long time.
“I’m very proud of the men and women of the Phoenix Police Department, and I’m outraged by this incident”, Yahner said.
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There is now no information on bail or when Payne will make his first court appearance. He kept quiet as reporters asked him questions, but now we’re learning more about his past.
