Colorado State Patrol trooper injured during traffic stop near Pueblo

A Colorado State Patrol trooper suffered minor injuries when he was knocked down by a vehicle during a traffic stop on Saturday.

According to the CSP, they received a report that a man was driving northbound on I-25 near Walsenburg while drinking a beer around 1 p.m. When a trooper found the grey Ford Transit Connect van south of Pueblo, they attempted to pull it over.

CSP said the driver stopped on the off-ramp, but when the trooper approached to speak with him, the driver was uncooperative. The trooper noticed a shotgun in the van, and shortly after, the suspect allegedly drove off, knocking the trooper to the ground.

The trooper was taken to an area hospital for treatment of what CSP said are minor injuries.

The van drove north on I-25 and was found near milepost 98 by another trooper, who used a Tactical Vehicle Intervention maneuver to ram the vehicle and bring it to a stop.

They took the driver into custody and booked him into the Pueblo County Jail. He's facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, felony eluding and assault on a peace officer.

The case is still under investigation.