LANCASTER, Pa. --
A confrontation in a Lancaster garage early Friday morning ended with a damaged police cruiser, a bullet hole in garage equipment and two men arrested.
Lancaster police said it happened around 2:45 a.m. in the Water Street Parking Garage when officers responded to a report of suspicious activity.
"Officers parked their police cars along the entrance/exit to the garage and entered the garage on foot. A gray Plymouth mini-van was observed driving in the garage toward the exit. Officers made contact with the driver and passenger. In attempting to identify the occupants, officers instructed the driver to put the vehicle in park. The driver accelerated away from officers toward the exit. When he realized the exit was blocked by police vehicles, the driver jumped out of the moving mini-van," a police news release states.
Police said an officer who was monitoring the perimeter noticed this and moved toward the vehicle, drawing his weapon.
"The driver ran towards the officer and collided with the officer. A brief struggle ensued, during which the officer's handgun accidentally discharged. The single round fired from the officer’s weapon struck the metal housing of a mechanical device that opens / closes the entrance gate to the parking garage, causing minor damage. No persons were struck and the suspect was quickly subdued," the news release stated.
Police said the officer suffered a minor elbow injury. The suspect was not injured.
The suspect's vehicle continued to roll until it hit an unoccupied police car parked at the exit. The car sustained minor damage.
The driver and passenger were taken into custody. It was at that point, police said they noticed the ignition cylinder had been removed in the minivan. Police said they later learned it had been stolen from Flushing, N.Y.
The two men who were arrested were:
Luis Ceasar Villot (driver), 24, from Brooklyn, N.Y.
Hector Manny Davila (passenger), of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Villot is charged with receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy, recklessly endangering another person and escape.
Davila is charged with receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.
Both suspects are currently being held for arraignment.
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