NATIONAL CITY (CBS 8) - A National City police officer was hurt and later treated at a local hospital after he was dragged by a truck while pursuing a man with an outstanding felony warrant.
Two officers responding to a report of suspicious people in a vehicle parked off the 2700 block of East 16th Street in National City found Jesus Leos, 30, sitting in a black Chevrolet Silverado alongside a woman and an infant shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday, according to police.
"The male placed the car in reverse and started dragging one of our officers. He's being taken to the hospital to be evaluated," said National City Police Sgt. Alex Hernandez.
After the officers determined that Leos was wanted on an outstanding felony warrant, the suspect suddenly accelerated in reverse, pulling one of the officers down the dirt access road a short distance and prompting the other to open fire, according to Sgt. Alex Hernandez.
Despite being wounded in the upper right arm, Leos kept driving, and the officer hanging onto the side of the truck tumbled onto the ground, the sergeant said. Leos ditched his truck near Fenton Place.
The chase ended after Leos was surrounded by a K-9 Unit at La Vista Memorial Park and Mortuary on Orange Street, where he was caught hiding in a shed. He was then handcuffed and taken into custody.
Former Navy veteran and stone mason, Paul Lansdale witnessed the arrest:
"All I can see personally is that he had dry blood and open wounds to his chest, abdomen, back and arm," he said. "A male had a gun drawn and the female had a taser and proceeded to go inside.”
Officers tracked down the mother and baby at their National City home. They were unharmed, according to police.
Leos and the woman were believed to have "some sort of relationship," the sergeant said. It was unclear if the suspect is the father of her year-old child.
Medics took the officer to a hospital for evaluation of apparently minor injuries and he is expected to recover.