Suspect who dragged DC officer with vehicle arrested, police say

WASHINGTON - D.C. police say they have arrested a man accused of dragging an officer with his vehicle while resisting arrest Thursday night in northeast Washington.

The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. in the 4700 block of Brooks Street NE, as a 27-year-old officer from the Metropolitan Police Department's Sixth District was assisting Child and Family Services with an investigation.

Police say the officer was trying to take 25-year-old Darius Avery Gross into custody after he tried to prevent social workers from trying to drive away with his children.

As the officer was trying to apprehend Gross, who was behind the wheel of a car, police say Gross hit the gas, causing the officer to be pulled alongside the car for about 140 feet.

"He warned the suspect, Darius Gross, several times to move his vehicle," said D.C. Police Assistant Chief Chanel Dickerson. "He did not move his vehicle. The officer went to place him under arrest. He was sitting inside of the vehicle. At some point, the officer got stuck between the driver's door and the door jam of the car."

According to police, Gross drove off down Brooks Street slamming into other cars and pinning the officer against them. The officer managed to free himself and the suspect fled the scene.

D.C. police said the officer was taken to a local hospital and was treated for severe, but non-life threatening injuries. Two law enforcement sources say the injured officer suffered broken ribs, a punctured lung and remains hospitalized.

"With any domestic, we learn that early on in the academy that a domestic situation can be one of the most dangerous situations that officers encounter," said Dickerson. "People's emotions are high and definitely when you are talking about a situation where someone is losing their children, even just for a temporary basis, because that is what it seemed like it was at that moment. Emotions were high and people don't want to lose their children."

Gross has been charged with aggravated assault while armed.