Shooting suspect rams Chandler police vehicle, almost hits officer
Apr 12, 2022, 2:40 PM | Updated: 2:46 pm
(Chandler Police Department Photo and Screenshot)
PHOENIX – A shooting suspect rammed a pickup truck into a police vehicle, narrowly missing an officer, before being arrested in Chandler on Monday, authorities said.
The Gila River Police Department had pursued the black truck into Chandler in connection with a shooting, according to a press release Tuesday from the Chandler Police Department. The shooting occurred at a construction site near Gilbert Road and Hunt Highway, south of Chandler, according to court documents.
Chandler police were dispatched to help at around 12:15 p.m., An officer parked his unmarked but fully lit patrol vehicle in the intersection of Gilbert and Riggs roads and put down stop sticks in an attempt to flatten the truck’s tires as it approached.
Bodyworn camera video from #ChandlerPD officer captured the overt act of the suspect swerving towards the officer and officer's vehicle. Please note, that there is no audio captured in the first 30 seconds of a body-worn camera recording. pic.twitter.com/lIpXlpxaOG
— Chandler Police (@ChandlerPolice) April 12, 2022
As the truck swerved into the patrol vehicle, the officer had to jump out of the way to keep from being hit, police said.
The officer suffered minor injuries. The Chandler Police Department posted video of the incident from his body-worn camera to social media.
The driver, identified as Michael E. Tyner, was quickly arrested after the collision, police said. He was treated at a local hospital and released.
Tyner, 39, was booked into jail on one count each of aggravated assault on an officer, endangerment, unlawful means of transportation and unlawful flight from law enforcement, according to court documents. He was held on $1,000 bond, police said.
According to the probable cause statement, the truck matched the description of one that had been reported stolen in Chandler earlier Monday about a mile from the shooting location.
There is a warrant out on Tyner in New Mexico for assault on law enforcement, according to court documents.