Video: Ohio Officer Struck While Laying Stop Sticks

Nov. 30, 2012
Dayton Officer Willie Hooper was struck by a minivan while trying to stop another vehicle.

DAYTON, Ohio -- Video released Thursday captured a Dayton police officer being hit by a mini-van while trying to deploy a tire deflation device following a slow-speed pursuit this week.

The video was taken by the dashboard camera in the officer's crusier.

In the video, Officer Willie Hooper can be seen stopping his vehicle on the northwest corner of Philadelphia Drive and Salem Avenue and running into the intersection with the deflation device Tuesday night.

One car traveling north in the right lane on Salem Avenue stops when he runs out, but the mini-van in the left lane does not. After being hit, Hooper can be seen moving around while on the ground.

Hooper was struck by 27-year-old Ashley Jennings, according to police records. He was taken to Miami Valley Hospital and released Wednesday.

Jennings, of Trotwood, had three children in the van with her. She was not involved with the pursuit and told police that she didn't see Hooper before striking him. She was booked into the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday night on a probation violation stemming from 2007 theft and forgery charges. No charges have been filed against her in connection to the crash.

Police were attempting to stop a Dodge Durango driven by Michael Hargrove, 33. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday night pending charges of inducing panic and failure to comply with an order of an officer.

Both drivers agreed to have blood drawn to determine if they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

According to a Dayton Police incident report, the slow-speed pursuit began in the 5000 block of Salem Avenue at about 5:50 p.m. when officers spotted the Dodge Durango traveling southbound.

Dispatchers had received a call from Hargrove who said he wished to end his life. Police had spoken with his wife and tracked his cell phone's location for about a half hour.

During the pursuit, Hargrove was not speeding and he stopped at traffic signals. At one point he could be heard by Officer Hooper saying that he had a bomb inside the vehicle.

In the final seconds of the pursuit, the Durango moved into the center turn lane and sped up. Hargrove came to a stop when he encountered Hooper and the minivan in the middle of the roadway. He did not strike Hooper.

Hargrove was taken into custody after officers ordered him to exit at gunpoint and then broke out his car windows. In the video he can be heard calling for his mother as he is placed into a police cruiser. He says, "I'm so sorry Mom. I just want to hurt myself... I wasn't trying to hurt nobody."

Copyright 2012 - Dayton Daily News, Ohio

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Sponsored Recommendations

Build Your Real-Time Crime Center

March 19, 2024
A checklist for success

Whitepaper: A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

July 28, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge

A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

June 6, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge.

Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

Feb. 8, 2023
Discover advanced technology that allows officers in the field to listen to emergency calls from their vehicles in real time and immediately identify the precise location of the...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Officer, create an account today!