Peoria Police say an officer was injured by a car fleeing from a traffic stop Saturday morning.
Officers attempted to stop a vehicle near 84th Avenue and Union Hills Drive, but when officers approached the car, the driver, Michael Gordon Bradford, took off. As the vehicle took off, the car struck an officer's leg.
Police pursued Bradford's vehicle into the area of 98th and Peoria avenues and saw what they believed to be a firearm in his hand. Bradford then ditched the car he was in and took with him a skateboard and bag. The 30-year-old man got on a bike path by using the skateboard he had on him and was able to skate away from police.
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Public Safety helped Peoria Police search for the man before finally locating him in a back yard.
The man reportedly dropped a rifle at some point while he was on the run, but officers were able to locate it in a bag the man was carrying.
Police took Bradford into custody and will be pressing 10 charges on the man, including aggravated assault on a police officer, unlawful flight from a law enforcement vehicle, and possession of a weapon by a prohibited person. Peoria police may be adding more charges as the investigation wraps up. Police expect to book Bradford into the 4th Avenue Jail.
The officer who was struck during the traffic stop did not suffer any major injuries is expected to be okay, Peoria police told ABC15.
Peoria police provided ABC15 with a picture of Bradford from a 2012 arrest .
