A Frankfort police officer is hurt while trying to make an arrest, and it is all caught on tape. When Officer Byron Redmon pulled over a suspected drunk driver yesterday... he thought it would be a routine traffic stop.
A suspected drunk driver tries to speed off, but Officer Byron Redmon is not going to let that happen. Redmon makes a split-second decision to try and disable the car and the driver.
But the driver is not giving up either, dragging the officer with him as shown in surveillance video. "I heard somebody screaming," said station clerk Tony Singh, "I looked outside and everyone just panicked."
Singh heard the commotion, and was horrified when he went outside. Officer Redmon was on the ground in pain, but still acting fast. "I was going to call 911," said Singh, "but the cop told me he already called somebody."
Police say the suspect, 49-year-old Russell Wheat left his car and ran off into the woods. Police found him hiding hours later. Wheat is now charged with assault... with other charges pending.
Singh says the gas station was busy, at least 10 people were in the parking as the out-of-control driver showed no mercy for anything in his path. "Alot of commotion, there was there was one lady and she was with a kid and she almost got hit," said Singh.
Police say Redmon did everything right in trying to get the driver off the road. "Officer Redmon's actions were an attempt to catch the perpetrator," said Major Fred Deaton, Frankfort Police, "you have a suspected impaired driver who is in itself a danger to the public and officer Redmon's actions were trying to alleviate that danger as soon as possible."
Many are just glad the whole ordeal did not turn out any worse. "He got hit bad," said Singh, yeah it could've been a lot worse."
Major Deaton says Wheat has a long criminal history including at least one previous DUI and is being held in the Franklin County Jail. Officer Redmon is out of the hospital, and recovering at home.