Joan Ocampo
FRESNO — An intoxicated driver dragged a Fresno police officer around 30 feet during a traffic stop, police said.
The incident began at 10:15 p.m. on Monday on Blackstone Avenue near the River Park shopping center, where a DUI collision had taken place.
Officer Jeff Manriquez, who was dispatched to the scene, detained two suspects who were walking away from the crash and told them to stay in their vehicle. Not long later, one of the suspects told the officer that he needed to use a restroom. The driver then started the vehicle, police said.
Manriquez told the driver to stop and tried to pull him out of the vehicle, but the suspect began driving, dragging the officer, police said.
Police said the officer was dragged about 30 feet before finally being able to get away from the vehicle. The officer was treated at Community Regional Medical Center for abrasions and then released.
Not long after getting away from the officer, the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Joan Ocampo, lost control of the vehicle and hit a center median, police said.
He was arrested with a blood alcohol level of .14 to .16, according to authorities.
He was booked on charges of felony driving under the influence, felony hit and run, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.
