A La Mesa police officer was thrown to the ground while trying to stop a suspect in a stolen car early Wednesday.
A 1995 Honda Prelude was reported stolen from a driveway at 5040 Comanche Drive around 3 a.m.
Officers spotted the car a couple of miles away on Parkway Drive. Before the officer turned on his lights and tried to pull the driver over, the suspect got out of the car while it was still moving. The man ran into a housing area.
Sgt. Brett Richards was blindsided on his left side by the car rolling backwards down the hill. He was knocked up onto the car's trunk.
"Sgt. Richards held on to the spoiler of the vehicle while trying to keep from being run over," Capt. David Bond.
"As the vehicle picked up speed, 10 to 15 miles an hour, he realized he was going to either run in to something or be knocked off so he jumped off before the vehicle collided with anything," Bond said.
Sgt. Richards was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for what Bond described as bruises, contusions and "road rash."
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The suspect fled the scene where the pursuit ended on Maryland Avenue and is still outstanding officials said.
Police described the man as Hispanic, 5-foot 8-inches to 5-foot- 10-inches tall, with curly hair and wearing a gray sweatshirt with jeans.
Bond said if anyone spots the auto theft suspect, they should not approach him but call 911 immediately.
There was no indication that the suspect intended to harm the officer but that will be a charge La Mesa police investigators will consider.
