HARFORD COUNTY, Md. — Two Harford County deputies were hurt Thursday afternoon during a chase when a driver allegedly dragged one and crashed into another.
It all began around 2:30 p.m., when Deputy First Class Austin Gentry pulled over Jacob Michael Seaman on I-95 near the route 24 underpass.
As Gentry approached the passenger side of the vehicle, Seaman allegedly began to pull off, dragging him.
Somehow Gentry was able to break loose with only minor injuries, get back to his police vehicle and continued to pursue Seaman.
Other deputies including J. Nate Gerres set up tire spike strips at the intersection of Whitaker Mill and Old Joppa Roads.
Seaman, 33, still refused to stop and struck Gerres and other vehicles that were at the intersection.
After the collision, Seaman briefly led deputies on a foot chase before being taken into custody.
A deputy since 2004, Gerres was taken by helicopter to Shock Trauma where he is continuing to recover from non-life threatening injures to his lower leg. He's currently assigned to the Warrant Apprehension Unit.
Gentry meanwhile was treated at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Hospital and has since been released. He's been with the agency since 2012 and is currently working with the Crime Suppression Unit.
It turns out Seaman fled because he thought he had an open warrant for his arrest related to an ongoing auto theft case, but he didn't. All deputies found inside the car was a little marijuana and paraphernalia. Had he not run, the sheriff's office says he would have likely walked away with only a civil citation.
Seaman is being held at the Harford County Detention Center without bail on charges of attempted first and second degree murder, assault, and reckless endangerment.
