17-year-old arrested, accused of hitting sergeant with car in Arizona

Officials have made an arrest in relation to an incident where a Tempe Police sergeant was hit by a car.

The incident took place on February 12 at a parking lot near Curry Road and Mill Avenue, Tempe, Arizona. A group of officers were near the Mill Avenue bridge over Tempe Town Lake arresting a driver doing burnouts when they observed a gathering of cars nearby.

When police walked toward the gathering to caution them about the violation, one of the SUVs accelerated out of its parking spot and hit an officer from behind. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to make a recovery.

“On February 18th, 2021, Tempe Police detectives, assisted by members of US Marshals Service led by Arizona Wanted Violent Offender Task Force arrested a 17-year-old, who we later learned was listed as runaway out of Salt River Pima Indian Reservation,” read a statement issued on February 19.

The teen was not identified because of his age, but Tempe Police officials say he will turn 18 in June 2021. The teen is accused of felony aggravated assault-related offenses, failure to stop at injury crash, failure to remain at the scene of an injury collision, endangerment, and engaging in reckless driving.