Orlando, FL – A fleeing suspect dragged an Orlando police officer with his vehicle at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour during a traffic stop, recently released bodycam footage showed (video below).
The terrifying encounter occurred just after 1 a.m. on May 9, after Orlando Police Officer Sean Murphy spotted a motorist driving with expired tags, ABC News reported.
The driver, 25-year-old Zavier Askew, pulled over near the intersection of Willie Mays Parkway and College drive, and Officer Murphy approached his driver’s side window to speak with him, according to WKMG.
The officer noticed remnants of marijuana on Askew’s center console, and began questioning him about the substance, bodycam footage showed.
“Sir, how much weed is in the car?” he asked the driver.
“There’s no weed in the car,” Askew replied.
Officer Murphy instructed the suspect to step out of the vehicle, then began searching it, WFOR reported.
It was unclear whether or not police located any contraband in Askew’s car, but after the search was completed, the suspect suddenly tried to flee the scene, bodycam footage showed.
He raced towards his vehicle and jumped inside, with Officer Murphy right on his heels.
When Askew stomped on the accelerator, the officer’s lower body was still hanging outside the driver’s side window of the suspect’s car.
“Stop! Stop or I’m going to shoot you!” the officer ordered frantically.
He repeatedly begged Askew to stop the car, but the suspect refused.
“Dude, you’re killing me!” Officer Murphey yelled, as Askew accelerated to speeds of 60 miles per hour. “Stop! This is attempted murder!”
“Officer, please! Stop!” Askew said repeatedly.
“I can’t! You have to stop the car so I can get out!” Officer Murphy told him. “Stop the car so I can get out!”
The officer then warned Askew that the direction he was traveling in was a dead-end.
“You’re gonna crash,” he told the suspect multiple times.
Askew ultimately crashed into a parked car, forcing Officer Murphy to tuck his legs inside the suspect's vehicle to avoid having them crushed, ABC News reported.
Additional officers immediately yanked Askew from the car and placed him under arrest.
“I’m bleeding I think,” Officer Murphy said in the video. “Holy f--k dude – you almost killed me.”
Askew has been charged with kidnapping and attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, ABC News reported.
Officer Murphy somehow avoided being seriously injured during the terrifying incident, and is already back to work.
You can watch bodycam footage of Officer Murphy’s encounter with Askew in the video below:
