St. Petersburg Police officials say an officer was seriously injured Friday night during the arrest of a reckless driver. Police say the officer is hospitalized with injuries, but that they are not life-threatening.
In a statement, police said the driver had sped away from a traffic stop before encountering officers in the Violent Crimes Task Force. The officers threw tire-puncturing devices onto the road, and said a 16-year-old boy jumped from the car as it rolled on flattened tires.
Police say that as one undercover officer jumped into the car, it hit an unoccupied Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The officer’s gun accidentally discharged during the collision and the bullet struck his hand.
The statement says the 16-year-old faces multiple charges, including resisting arrest without violence.
