OAKDALE, Calif. — Authorities in Oakdale have arrested a man accused of running over a police officer on Friday after searching for nearly five hours.
The officer was conducting a welfare check at the Save Mart supermarket located in the 1400 block of E. F Street around noon after a caller reported seeing a man slumped over in the driver’s seat of a car.
According to police, the officer found the vehicle and made contact with the driver. According to investigators, when the officer spotted drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, the man threw the car in reverse.
The officer was trapped between the open driver’s side door and the car and dragged about 30 feet. The officer was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Luckily, several bystanders were in the area to help aid the injured officer.
The driver sped away but didn’t get far. Police found the vehicle abandoned just a few blocks away near Sierra Road and Knox Road. The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Christopher Milchen, fled on foot.
Oakdale Police officers, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies, CHP officers, and Fish & Wildlife officers were all called in to help search for Milchen. Hours later, bservant residents re[prted seeing Milchen in the 1300 block of S. Yosemite Avenue. Milchen was soon arrested and booked into jail on an attempted murder charge.
"We are thankful for the assistance from our allied agencies and the fast action of our community members who assisted our injured officer and the community members that reported seeing Milchen," Oakdale Police said in a statement following the arrest.
