A 20-year-old man is facing charges after a Lethbridge police officer was dragged and struck by a vehicle.
The incident happened on Jan. 30, when officers were called to a report of a car prowling on the city’s south side.
Police said an attending officer was searching an area in the 2100 block of Palm Road S. when he witnessed a Lincoln MKX pull into a parking lot at high speed.
The vehicle matched the description of one that was previously reported stolen and when approached by the officer, police said the driver put the vehicle in reverse, dragging him a short distance.
After stepping away and ordering the driver out, police said the vehicle drove forward then reversed again, striking the Lethbridge Police Service member and pushing him back several feet before he was able to move and avoid being run over.
The officer only suffered minor bumps and bruises.
The vehicle was later recovered and the driver was arrested without incident on Feb. 26.
Pedro Alejandro Friesen of Taber, Alta., is charged with assaulting a police officer with a weapon, dangerous driving, flight from police and possession of stolen property over $5,000.
Friesen is also among several people facing charges in connection with police recovering a handgun, ammunition, drug-trafficking paraphanelia and small quantities of drugs from a north Lethbridge home earlier this week.