Pa. Police Officer Dragged 20 Feet by Driver with Stolen Gun

A western Pennsylvania man is being held in jail and facing a list of charges following an incident Tuesday, according to a story from KDKA.

According to police, a Penn Hills officer was alerted early Tuesday morning to a vehicle that had gone off the road.

When the officer stopped to survey the vehicle, he found a man, later identified as Dajaun Austin, 22, of Wilkinsburg, unresponsive in the driver’s seat, KDKA said.

The officer tried to wake Austin and observed a pistol inside the car, as well as signs of Austin being intoxicated.

Police then said Austin grabbed the officer after refusing to get out of the vehicle. There was a struggle, during which Austin attempted to reach towards the pistol in the vehicle, police told the news station.

Another officer joined the struggle to assist, and the two were able to remove the pistol, which police later confirmed to be stolen, from the car.

During the struggle, police said Austin put the vehicle in reverse, hit an officer, and then dragged him about 20 feet before crashing into a building. Austin then reportedly fled the scene, KDKA said.

Officers followed Austin and found him sitting on a hillside next to the vehicle. When they approached him and told him to show his hands, he tried to run. Officers then used a Taser on him and took him into custody, the news site said.

While searching Austin, police said they found suspected drugs. A digital scale and sandwich bags were also found in the vehicle.

The charges Austin faces includes aggravated assault, receiving stolen property, firearms charges, drug charges, DUI, and resisting arrest, KDKA said. He is being held in Allegheny County Jail until a preliminary hearing later this month.

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