Recently released body camera footage shows a Florida police officer being dragged by a car achieving speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
According to the Pembroke Pines Police Department, the harrowing event occurred after a concerned resident reported that two people were believed to be unconscious–possibly due to an overdose–inside of a parked car.
When responding Officer Jon Cusack arrived, the 19-year-veteran knocked on the window and received no response. Then, he allegedly spotted what appeared to be drugs and proceeded to put on black protective gloves.
Next—and without warning—while Cusack was attempting to enter the car, the man in the driver’s seat, Thomas Cabrera, woke up and gave himself a whole other host of problems by putting the pedal to the floor.
Cusack clung to the driver’s side door as the car pulled away. Cabrera quickly picked up the pace–the speedometer notching up to 60 mph–and dragged the officer for a while until Cusack lost his grip and fell, rolling to the pavement.
In the video, Cusack can be seen affixing his gloves before shoving his hand inside Cabrera’s window. Then Cabrera rolls the window up and Cusack opens the car door, grabbing hold of it. The car lurches forward and Cusack shouts mostly inaudibly as the wind-soaked audio crackles.
At one point, Cusack appears to scream, “I’m going to fucking shoot you!” before falling to the ground and relaying a dizzying series of images via bodycam.
After Cusack’s spill and Cabrera’s brief escape, Pembroke Pines police tailed and chased the suspect for roughly 20 miles before apprehending him. Later, when questioned by police, Cabrera allegedly admitted to using cocaine and heroin on the day in question.
Cabrera is now facing charges of fleeing the scene of a crime, evading arrest, driving with a suspended license and attempted murder of a police officer.
Cusack is currently recovering from his injuries.
[image via screengrab NBC 5 WPTV; video courtesy Pembroke Pines Police Department/Fox News]
Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher
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