PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A man has been arrested after he reportedly rammed into a police officer's car in Pinellas County and then tried to get away — although records show he didn't get far.
Just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday, an officer with the St. Pete Police Department was reportedly parked on the side of 2nd Avenue North near 5th Street North and was completing paperwork when a car struck the police cruiser.
The arrest affidavit says the driver, 26-year-old Satyal Sambhrit, continued to accelerate and pushed the officer's car to the side. Sambhrit then continued to drive westbound on 2nd Avenue in an attempt to get away before his car "became disabled" and the front tire popped off the rim. He pressed his foot on gas once again, leaving multiple skid marks on the pavement.
The officer then approached Sambhrit and removed him from the car. During the arrest, Sambhrit had "bloodshot, watery eyes, a dazed and blank expression on his face," according to court records.
He also reportedly had the smell of alcohol on his breath, and he was unsteady on his feet. Sambhrit also refused to take a breathalyzer test, but authorities noted he showed further signs of impairment on the field sobriety tests.
Sambhrit was arrested for DUI involving property damage and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage, the affidavit states.
