ATLANTA --
Atlanta police said they are following several good leads in the hunt for the man they believe ran over a police officer and nearly killed him.
Officer Pat Apoian was released from the hospital on Tuesday. He suffered several broken bones and faces months of rehabilitation, but he was well enough to attend a fundraiser Wednesday night.
Friends and fellow officers are trying to raise money to help out with his massive medical bills since the incident. Apoian has also been worried that he may lose his house because of all the bills he now faces.
Apoian surprised many of his friends by showing up.
"I'm uncomfortable and I'm in pain, but talking to everyone takes my mind off of it," Apoian said as he sat in a wheelchair.
"If they care enough to come out, then I care enough to come and see them," he said.
Last month, Apoian was trying to arrest Khalif Edwards in northeast Atlanta when police said Edwards ran a car over him, crushing several of Apoian's bones.
"The foot was almost taken off. You know, my first thought was to call my wife and my son. I didn't know what my injuries were. I called them to say goodbye," said Apoian. But he survived and returned home Tuesday to see a giant homemade banner made by his 7-year-old son.
Edwards still remains at large but police commanders are determined to track him down.
"Right now we have some information to suggest he's still in the state of Georgia. As I said, we are following up on those leads right now and hopefully we will have some closure to this thing relatively soon," said APD Major Crimes Maj. Keith Meadows.
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