‘Very emotional situation:’ Milton officer run over, dragged through parking lot

A Milton officer was severely injured while he was trying to take down a suspect on Wednesday.

The Milton Police Department (MPD) said Officer Erik Haney and another officer were near Meridian Avenue East, by the Pierce/King County line, working to take a suspect into custody for an outstanding drug warrant. MPD’s original news release did not include Haney’s first name. It was later confirmed that Officer Erik Haney was injured in the incident.

MPD Chief Tony Hernandez told KIRO Newsradio that Haney and the other officer were fighting with the suspect to get him out of his car in a Taco Bell parking lot.

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Haney unable to get arm loose

However, the suspect was able to start the car. One of the officers got free but Haney couldn’t.

“Apparently his arm was pinned behind the suspect,” Hernandez said.

Haney was then dragged by the suspect’s car through the parking lot, fell and was run over. MPD said Haney suffered serious injuries to both of his legs and hands. Hernandez told KIRO Newsradio that both of Haney’s legs were run over.

MPD said the second officer involved wasn’t harmed and gave aid to Haney.

“The other officer put a tourniquet on the officer’s leg until the fire department got there,” Hernandez said.

Haney was then transported to a nearby hospital, where he is undergoing surgery to repair one of his legs.

“How can these things happen to people that are out there trying to protect people,” Hernandez said. “It’s a symptom of something larger that’s going on in our country.”

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While Hernandez was feeling his own emotions, he commended Haney’s bravery and supported his family.

“You revert back to wanting to comfort the family as best you can and assure the officer that they’re going to be OK,” he said.

“His family members have come to the hospital and are waiting while he’s under surgery and we’re supporting them and of course taking their emotions because obviously it’s a very emotional situation,” Hernandez added.

Hernandez said he spoke with Haney before he went into surgery and although he was heavily sedated he was “in good spirits.”

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The suspect was later caught by Kent officers via a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. Hernandez said the suspect refused to leave his car so officers deployed pepper bowls to get him out.

The suspect was then taken into custody and has been booked into the Pierce County Jail on charges of failure to remain at injury accident, assault in the first degree, attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and vehicular assault, according to the Superior Court of the State of Washington for Pierce County.

“This is just a reminder that every day men and women go out there on behalf of the greater good, trying to patrol the area and keep everybody safe, and unfortunately what we’re seeing is more and more violence against police officers,” Hernandez shared.

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He said hopefully the violence against police will go down but right now he’s seeing officers being assaulted at “record numbers.”

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call MPD at 253-831-4278 or via email at miltonpolicewebsite@cityofmilton.net.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.