Van Drove Off With Officer Half in It in Walla Walla

A wrestle in a van ended with an injured officer and a police chase in Walla Walla.

A routine traffic stop of a van resulted in the officer recognizing a passenger as having a warrant out. Things went downhill from there.

He looked closer in the van and saw a pair of legs. He investigated and discovered they belonged to a man the officer knew well... who had a warrant out for his arrest and was wanted for questioning in an auto theft case.

When he said, "You're under arrest" the man yelled to the driver, "GO, GO, GO!"

Apparently the driver didn't, so the man climbed up to the driver's seat. The officer, with his feet on the street and his body in the van, began wrestling him. The officer grabbed the stick shift to prevent him from getting it in gear, and after more struggling the van went into gear and drove off with the officer half in it, injuring his arms.

Another officer took off in pursuit and a chase ensued... but not for long.

Vans don't have good turning radiuses, which meant it hit a curb hard immobilizing it. The man then took off on foot, but was captured soon.