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Bodycam shows Florida police officer roll over vehicle's hood
A Sarasota, Florida Police Officer is recovering after he was struck by a suspect's vehicle, the police department said. Bodycam video shows the moment the officer was struck and flips over the vehicle due to the impact.
SARASOTA, Fla. - Police have arrested the person responsible for running over a Sarasota Police Officer in a stolen car on Monday.
Video shows the incident happening from two angles — body cam footage from the officer who was hit and nearby surveillance footage.
Officers initially responded to Mourning Dove Drive on Bird Key around 2 p.m. on Monday for a car burglary. Officers found video evidence and discovered a white 4-door S-Series Mercedes as a suspect vehicle.
Sarasota officers strategically placed patrol vehicles at the entrance of Bird Key after they received a call just after 9 p.m. that the Mercedes had returned to the area.
Video footage shows what happened next as the stolen car suspect began driving back toward the officers.
The first half of the video shows the officer getting out of his patrol vehicle while spotting the stolen car traveling down the road at a high rate of speed past a parked patrol car. The injured officer said he anticipated the Mercedes would either try and drive onto a side street or crash into one of the parked patrol vehicles.
Surveillance footage shows the driver of the car hitting the officer head-on, flipping him over the car.
The suspect in the crash, 22-year-old Mark Thomas, of Plantation was arrested on Wednesday and faces charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, and fleeing to elude with disregard for safety.
Police said Thomas had been convicted of multiple crimes since December 2019 and was released from prison on February 2, 2023. Previous charges include:
- Carrying a Concealed Firearm (x2) (December 2019 and July 2021)
- Grand Theft Auto (x2) (May 2021 and June 2021)
- Possession of Marijuana over 20 Grams (June 2021)
- Burglary of an Unoccupied Dwelling (May 2021)
- Cocaine Possession (July 2021)