Man strikes deputy with car, narrowly missing his own child
A Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputy was not injured after a driver struck her with his vehicle on Sunday.
The deputy was patrolling near Claybrook Park about 4:25 p.m. Sept. 3 when she saw an SUV with its hood open and a man appearing to work on the vehicle. He had a young boy with him, who was later determined to be his 6-year-old son. The deputy approached to see if she could help.
The man appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. He said he probably had a warrant for his arrest. He then told the deputy he had drunk a beer. The deputy attempted to detain the man, but he pulled away from her and got back in his vehicle. The deputy tried to stop him from starting the ignition, but he drove off with her still reaching inside the vehicle. He was yelling for his son to get in the car as he circled the parking lot.
The boy was still standing next to the deputy when his father drove at her and struck her left leg with his vehicle. The man told his son he would be back for him and sped away.
Kearney Police came to the area and located the vehicle, which fled from them. They pursued it, and deputies unsuccessfully tried to use Stop Sticks to stop the vehicle. The suspect eventually stopped in a driveway near 10th Street and Prospect in Kearney. The driver jumped from his vehicle and tried to get in a garage door. A Kearney officer and Sheriff’s Office deputy deployed their Tasers, to no effect. The suspect continued to fight the officer and multiple deputies and try to get in the garage door. Another deputy deployed his canine partner, which finally allowed the officer and deputies to get the man into custody.
Deputies were able to locate other family members of the 6-year-old and turn him over to their custody. The boy was not injured.
The suspect, 33-year-old Christopher E. Crawford, was treated for his dog bite at an area hospital and then transported to the Clay County Detention Center. He has been charged with first-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a firearm. He is being held on a $100,000 bond.
Subscribe to news releases and never miss an update.