Police: Man Accused of Dragging Officer in Stolen SUV Set for Tuesday Court Appearance

MANCHESTER, CT - The man charged with dragging a Manchester police sergeant in a stolen sport utility vehicle while fleeing from a Friday morning traffic stop is scheduled to explain his actions before a judge on Tuesday, police said.

Peter Hills was arrested Friday after a day-long manhunt that involved officers and detectives from the Manchester Police Department, along with officers from the East Central Narcotics Task Force.

Hills was found walking on Orchard Street in Vernon, according to a news release.

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Hills was charged via arrest warrant with:

• Assault on a police officer
• Third-degree assault
• Secomnd-degree reckless endangerment
• Interfering with an officer
• Third-degree criminal mischief
• Third-degree larceny
• Two counts of reckless driving
• Failure to carry a license (two counts)
• Two counts of traveling unreasonably fast
• Disobeying the signal of an officer
• Following too close
• Failure to drive right
• Passing in no passing zone

Hills was being held all weekend on a $175,000 court-set bond, police said.

The stolen SUV was located by the Hartford Police Department in the area of Park Street in Hartford, according to a news release.

At about 5:30 a.m. on Friday, a Manchester police sergeant observed a vehicle traveling in an erratic manner, according to a news release. When he stopped the vehicle, it pulled into the driveway of a residence on Starkweather Street in Manchester, according to a news release.

While the Sergeant was speaking with Hills, the vehicle moved forward and dragged the sergeant a short distance before the sergeant fell to the ground, according to a news release.

Hills then fled the area, police said.

It was later discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the night from East Haven.

The vehicle was described by police as a 2005 gray Ford Explorer.

The sergeant who was dragged sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from a local hospital, according to a news release.

Photo Credit: The booking mug shot of Hills furnished by Manchester police.