COVINGTON, La. — Police say a man they tried to stop for speeding took officers on a slow speed chase before accelerating and driving head-on into a police cruiser Tuesday night, injuring the officer.
Police said the Covington Police officer was taken to the St. Tammany Parish Hospital where he was treated and released with minor injuries.
The photo shows substantial damage to the cruiser.
According to police, just before midnight, officers tried to stop a vehicle on Boston Street for speeding. The driver of the car, identified as Nestor Javier Sanchez-Martinez, didn't stop and instead continued to drive slowly as officers began to give chase.
Police said that as the vehicles approached Jefferson near Columbia Street, the car driven by Sanchez-Martinez entered the wrong lane of traffic, sped up and plowed head-on into the officer's cruiser.
Sanchez-Martinez was also taken to the hospital. Police said he was cleared by the hospital staff and then taken to the St. Tammany Parish Jail and booked with several charges, including:
- Attempted first-degree murder of a police officer
- Aggravated flight
- Reckless Operation
- Speeding
- Traffic Control Signals violation
- Improper Lane Usage
- Unlicensed driver
More counts could be forthcoming, according to police. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office is assisting in the investigation.
The Covington Police post on its official Facebook Page says the officer was injured by a "suspected impaired driver."
