At the ASLET conference this week in Jacksonville, Fla. Sgt. Craig Stapp, of the Tempe, Ariz. Police Department, presentated the concept of risk management as it applies to officer survival. If the officer in this story who impulsively put himself entirely under the suspect’s control in very dangerous circumstances actually weighed the risks involved and decided they were acceptable, would you agree that something is way wrong with his scales?
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-- Introduction by Police1 Senior Contributor Chuck Remsberg
The Associated Press
YORK, Pa. (AP) - A Mechanicsburg man is accused of leading police on a 12-mile chase that included an officer jumping into the bed of his pickup truck and smashing out the driver’s side window in an attempt to make him stop.
Police began following Robert H. Sparks, 37, on Wednesday night when York Area Regional Police Officer Kevin Spangler noticed his truck “burning out,” or spinning its tires, in Red Lion. Spangler pulled him over after witnessing several other traffic violations. Sparks sped away just as the officer approached on foot, police said.
Eventually, Sparks stopped again, and York Area Regional Police Officer Raymond Krzywulak approached on foot. Just as he got close, the driver sped off again, but this time, Krzywulak grabbed the tailgate and jumped into the bed. With Krzywulak still in the bed, the truck reached speeds of about 60 mph at times. Krzywulak smashed out the driver’s side door glass, still trying to get the driver to stop, police said.
Krzywulak was able to get out of the bed of the truck when the driver struck Spangler’s police cruiser. But the driver was only temporarily stopped and fled again.
Eventually, the chase ended in the parking lot of the York County Prison. Sparks is being held inside in lieu of $50,000 bail, charged with driving under the influence, driving with a suspended license, aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, fleeing from police, hit and run, resisting arrest and escape.
Sparks was wanted in Cumberland County for a DUI charge, police said.
It was not immediately clear if Sparks had a lawyer.
The officers were not injured, police said.