The driver, 46-year-old Gary L. Pullen is facing abduction, failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer and obstructing official business and three weapons charges, which were filed Friday in Dayton Municipal Court.
The officer stopped Pullen for traffic violations, including an illegal window tint, shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday in the area of East Third and North Keowee streets. After stopping Pullen, the officer learned the tags were expired and that Pullen has a lengthy criminal history involving firearms, said Lt. Eric Sheldon of the Dayton Police Department.
Credit: Montgomery County Jail
Credit: Montgomery County Jail
When the officer approached the vehicle, he saw Pullen manipulating a black bag. Pullen said he didn’t have a license, so the officer asked him to get out for a pat down and to walk with him to his marked cruiser, Sheldon said.
Body camera footage showed Pullen start to get back into the truck before turning and asking, “Your cruiser? Why am I being searched?”
The officer appeared to reach toward Pullen, who sat back in the truck. The body camera is then obstructed by a struggle.
Cruiser camera footage showed the officer leaning into the truck before it took off with him inside.
A police cruiser followed the truck until it crashed into a snowbank, about 1,500 feet from the traffic stop.
At least two officers approached the truck with guns drawn before Pullen was removed and taken into custody.
The officer was concerned Pullen was reaching for a weapon during the incident, Sheldon said.
“The suspect had marijuana and suspected narcotics in his possession and the black bag that the officer saw the suspect manipulating had a loaded firearm inside,” he said.
Pullen was evaluated at the hospital before being booked into the Montgomery County Jail.
The officer in the truck did not report any injuries.
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