The San Francisco Chronicle
SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco police officer is recovering from a broken hand after an allegedly drunk driver hit him early today, police said.
The suspect, 35-year-old Arlo Hemphill of Alameda, was driving west on Harrison Street in the eastbound lane at the intersection with Essex Street about 1:30 a.m. when he blew by a police officer directing traffic and ran a red light, said spokesman Sgt. Neville Gittens.
A second officer, who was also directing traffic because of a backup from Bay Bridge construction, also attempted to stop Hemphill, Gittens said.
“The suspect backed up a short distance and accelerated toward the officer,” Gittens said, adding that the officer was hit at some point. “The officer fired one round, striking the driver side door.”
The suspect continued up the ramp onto eastbound Interstate 80, said Gittens, but an off-duty SFPD officer who witnessed the incident followed the suspect and called police. San Francisco and California Highway Patrol officers caught up to Hemphill and pulled him over on Interstate 880 at Broadway.
He was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving, assault on a police officer and several other traffic violations, Gittens said.
The officer, whose name was not released, was treated at a local hospital for a broken hand and released.
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