Fresno officer dragged by DUI driver

A Fresno police officer sustained minor injuries Monday night when he was dragged by an intoxicated driver during a traffic stop, police reported.

The officer, Jeff Manriquez, was treated at Community Regional Medical Center for abrasions and complaints of pain and released. The suspect, identified as Joan Ocampo, 20, was booked on charges of felony driving under the influence, felony hit and run, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest.

Lt. Joe Gomez said the incident began at 10:15 p.m. on Blackstone Avenue in front of River Park shopping center, where officers were sent to investigate a DUI collision. Manriquez detained two suspects walking away from the crash and told them to sit in their vehicle. A short time later, one of the suspects told Manriquez that he needed to use a restroom. The driver, identified as Ocampo, then started the vehicle.

Manriquez told Ocampo to stop and tried to pull him from the vehicle, but Ocampo drove off, dragging the officer. Manriquez was able to get away from the vehicle after he was dragged about 30 feet.

Ocampo drove west on El Paso Avenue, then north on Ingram Avenue. As he tried to turn right onto Nees, he lost control, hit a center median and disabled the vehicle. He was arrested and found to have a blood alcohol level of .14 to .16, about twice the legal limit.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 11:10 AM with the headline "Fresno officer dragged by DUI driver."