Hit & Run Driver Takes Off With Officer In The Vehicle

Some scary moments for a Richmond Police Officer as he was trapped in a moving vehicle while trying to arrest the driver.

It started Friday when police were called to a Medley Drive home to investigate a hit and run. The homeowner showed officers surveillance tape of a blue Toyota SUV striking the mailbox and continue driving. The hit tore the side mirror off of the SUV causing damage to the vehicle.

Officers patrolling the area found the SUV at a party at a home on Summmerfield Court. Officers questioned those attending but no one admitted to owning the vehicle. Officers ran the registration and it came back as owned by Matthew Dailey, one of the persons officers had questioned at the party.

A short time later officers observed Dailey driving the vehicle and made a traffic stop. During the investigations officer smelled a strong odor of alcohol, and when questioned, Dailey became irate. Dailey refused commands to exit the vehicle and when approached by an officer, Dailey grabbed the officers body cam and threw it to the street damaging the camera.

The officer entered the vehicle and tried to remove him, however, Dailey accelerated with the officer in the vehicle. The officer was forced to take the steering wheel to avoid a collision with an oncoming vehicle.The officer finally was able to bring the SUV to a stop, when Dailey exited the SUV and attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly apprehended.

During a search of the vehicle police found a small amount of marijuana, a bottle of amphetamine tablets and a scale

Matthew Dailey, 20, was booked into the Madison County Detention Center on multiple charges including wanton endangerment of a police officer, fleeing or evading police, DUI, criminal mischief, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of a crash.