FLAGSTAFF, AZ — A Flagstaff police officer is recovering after their vehicle was hit by a suspected drunk driver Saturday afternoon.
Flagstaff police say they responded to calls of a man, Jerrad Steve Bigman, 23, trying to pick fights with citizens in a parking lot.
When officers arrived, he was driving around the parking lot recklessly and struck a pole and a building.
An officer tried to stop Bigman by blocking him in the parking lot but he was able to get out and fled to a nearby neighborhood.
Another officer responded to the call and located Bigman in his car. Bigman then drove into the officer's vehicle head on and then left the scene.
The officer followed Bigman who circled back and hit the officer's vehicle for a second time before trying to make a U-turn.
"The officer noticed several citizens on the sidewalk and was concerned the suspect vehicle would hit them; prompting the officer to try and pin the vehicle in this area. The suspect vehicle drove onto the sidewalk and struck the officer’s vehicle a third time, causing the officer’s vehicle to become disabled."
"The suspect vehicle fled toward N. Fourth St, ultimately driving east as Flagstaff Police Department Officers and Arizona Department of Public Safety GIITEM Detectives attempted to prevent the suspect vehicle from colliding with other officers and vehicles on the roadway. The suspect vehicle struck an additional victim vehicle near the intersection of N. Cummings and N. Highway 89."
Bigman was arrested by Flagstaff PD and booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility. He has been charged with leaving the scenes of multiples collisions, suspicion of driving while impaired, aggravated assault and warrant related charges.
The officer involved in the head-on collisions was transported to the hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries according to Flagstaff PD.
