Report details chase, officer's injury

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The man at the center of the events that led an officer to be struck by a van Tuesday night faces charges of failure to comply with the order of a police officer and inducing panic.

Michael Hargrove was booked into the Montgomery County Jail Tuesday evening following a series of incidents that ultimately ended with an officer’s injury.

According to a police report, Hargrove called 911 to report he was suicidal and climbed into a silver SUV. Several officers were dispatched to the area to try and locate Hargrove.

Meanwhile, Dayton Police report Hargrove’s wife called and alerted police that her husband was on a crack binge, spent their rent money on crack and was out of control.

Officers eventually caught up with him near the intersection of Salem Avenue and Philadelphia Street. Police say Hargrove refused to pull over and continued to drive, obeying all traffic laws.

The officer filing the report wrote he was entering the intersection of Salem Avenue and Philadelphia Street when he “saw a large unknown object laying in the northbound lane of Salem. There was a green van behind the object. After stopping my cruiser I saw that it was Officer Hooper on the Ground.”

The report indicates Hooper was out of his car laying out “Stop Sticks” or a spike strip to stop Hargrove’s SUV when he was struck by a van. The van’s driver told officers she did not see Hooper before hitting him. She was later booked into jail on unrelated charges.

Medics were called to the scene to tend to Hooper. He was taken to a hospital and later released with minor injuries.