MA Man Accused Of Trying To Kill County Police Officer

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Police identified the Massachusetts man who was accused of driving off after a traffic stop with a county police officer hanging from his car. Kevin Santos, 22, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was ordered held without bail after his arraignment Tuesday in New Rochelle City Court.

According to a county spokesman, Santos was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, aggravated assault on a police officer, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and first-degree reckless endangerment, all felonies.

Santos was arrested Monday after driving off at high speed while a county police officer was partially inside his car attempting to take him into custody, police said.

He had been stopped on the northbound Hutchinson River Parkway around 11:30 a.m. Monday for a traffic violation. After determining that Santos didn't have a valid license, the officer asked him to step out of car. He initially complied but then jumped back into his car and tried to get away.

The officer was able to climb inside Santos' Honda Accord to avoid being dragged.

A struggle occurred as the car reached speeds of up to 60 mph.

During the incident, the front door of the car remained open, and police said Santos swerved across both lanes of the highway and onto the shoulder — accelerating and then braking hard — in an attempt to eject the officer from the car.

The struggle continued for three-quarters of a mile, police said, when the officer was able to bring the Honda to a halt.

The vehicle was then boxed in by a county police patrol car as Santos tried to take off again.

Following the incident, the Honda was impounded and towed back to county police headquarters in Hawthorne, where 9,000 glassine envelopes of heroin were found inside the car, police said.

The narcotics were found in a bag on the floor of the front passenger side of the car.

The officer, who has not been identified, was taken to Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow with an injury to one of his hands and arm. He was treated and released.

Santos was taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where he was also treated and released.

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