Local News in Brief : Officer Run Over, Suffers Broken Back
A policeman investigating a burglary call in Culver City suffered a broken back when he was run down by a man in a pickup truck who had been shot repeatedly by the officer’s partner, authorities said Tuesday.
Officer Ron Perkins Jr., 32, was in serious but stable condition at UCLA Medical Center police said.
One of two men arrested in the incident, John Pengey, 23, of Marina del Rey was also treated at UCLA for three to five superficial bullet wounds. The other suspect, Michael Smith, 25, also of Marina del Rey, was not wounded.
Perkins and Officer Leon Moore were responding to a burglary call at Betts Sine Lumber Co. at 11:30 p.m. Monday when they spotted two men stripping a car, Lt. Tom Gabor said.
The men the officers caught stripping the car drove at the officers in a pickup truck, police said. Perkins was hit by the truck.
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