Police Officers Dragged By Car While Trying To Arrest Drug Dealer: Police

Two Nassau County Police officers were dragged by a suspect's car after they tried to place the man under arrest Wednesday night for an alleged drug sale, police say.

According to detectives, two Community Oriented Police and Enforcement (COPE) officers were on a routine patrol in Island Park when they saw a man in a white 2004 Chevrolet Express van near Austin Boulevard performing an alleged drug sale at 7:25 p.m. The COPE officers pulled the car over at the intersection of Austin Boulevard and Vanderbilt Avenue.

Police say that when the two officers approached the van, the driver, Darius Nellums, 49, of Magnolia Boulevard, Long Beach, tried to put the van into drive. One officer reached into the car to try to stop Nellums from driving away, while the other opened the passenger door. Police say Nellums was able to get the car into drive and drove forward, dragging the officers about 5 feet. Nellums then struck three other cars, police say, and came to a stop.

After stopping, police say Nellums tried to escape on foot. After a struggle, officers were able to place him under arrest. Police say they found 20 individually wrapped bags of a substance believed to be heroin in the van's center console.

The two officers were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released.

Nellums is charged with third- and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree assault, three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, unlawful imprisonment, three counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, obstruction of government administration and several violations of vehicle and traffic laws. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Photo: Nassau County Police Department