Lakewood Officer Struck, Injured By Fleeing Driver

LAKEWOOD, CO -- UPDATED A Lakewood police officer is recovering in a local hospital after being struck by a driver of a stolen car early Friday morning, police said.

Officers found a parked stolen vehicle around 2 a.m. on patrol in the parking lot of the Crossland Economy Studios at 715 Kipling Street. A male and a female came out of a room and got into the stolen car, police said.

The male driver ignored police commands and drove quickly out of the parking spot westbound through the lot and struck an officer who was standing in the parking lot, police said. The car kept driving for a short distance and then crashed into another parked car. The man and woman got out and ran away, police said.

Officers nabbed the female suspect, Arlita Flores, age 23, of Denver almost immediately. But the man ran eastbound across Kipling St. where agents lost sight of him. Early Friday morning, police surrounded a building in the 600 block of Kipling where the man was last seen. Around 8 a.m., police found Enrique Arellano, 24, of Parker, hiding behind a gas station in the 700 block of Kipling and took him into custody.

Arellano was charged with first degree assault, vehicular assault, aggravated motor vehicle theft and eluding and other charges. Flores was charged with aggravated motor vehicle theft and obstruction.

The officer, a 12-year department veteran, who was struck by the car was taken to St. Anthony Hospital where he remains, police said.

Image via Lakewood Police