Officer Dragged After Making Traffic Stop

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A police officer was hurt, when he was dragged by a car after making a traffic stop.

It happened in the area of Irvine Street in Hazelwood just before 5 p.m.

19-yr. old Therman Smith, Jr., is facing aggravated assault & other charges, after he allegedly briefly dragged a motorcycle police officer who had stopped him.

Police say Smith's Maxima was stopped during a police traffic enforcement operation.

They say Smith got out of the car but quickly jumped back in, as an officer was attempting to put handcuffs on him.

Police say up until recently, there had been a warrant out or his arrest on auto theft charges.

The officer reached in though the driver's window, and Smith drove off.

He ditched the car a few blocks away.

He and a woman in he car with him ran off, but were taken into custody in Schenley Park.

She was not immediately identified.

The officer suffered a minor arm injury, and is expected to be okay.

Pittsburgh Police