An off-duty Benton Police Department officer was struck and another citizen knocked down as a shoplifting suspect attempted to flee in his car Christmas Eve in Benton.
According to BPD, Officer Nick Spears on Sunday, Dec. 24 had arrived at the Walmart in Benton when he reportedly watched a man attempting to leave the store with a cart containing unpaid merchandise. Spears, who was off duty at the time, called central dispatch to report the incident and confronted the suspect as he allegedly attempted to load the merchandise into a vehicle parked in the fire lane at front of the store.
Spears identified himself as a BPD officer and the suspect jumped into the car and attempted to leave the scene, according to BPD. Spears and another unknown citizen who intervened to assist him attempted to grab the keys to the vehicle but were unsuccessful, according to a BPD report. The suspect, later identified as Christopher R. Wright of Marion, fled the scene in his car, allegedly striking Spears and knocking the citizen down as he pulled away. Wright almost struck a pedestrian in the parking lot as he walked into the store as well, according to BPD.
Marshall County Sheriff’s Office deputies located the vehicle in the altercation a short time later at the Dollar General Store in Draffenville. MCSO and Kentucky State Police troopers located Wright, who fled again on foot. Police pursued Wright and were able to detain him.
Wright was arrested and charged on suspicion of first-degree wanton endangerment of police officer; first-degree wanton endangerment; resisting arrest, public intoxication; theft by unlawful taking (shoplifting) under $500; first-degree fleeing/evading police in a motor vehicle.
He was taken to Marshall County Detention Center.
Spears and the unknown citizen were not seriously injured in the incident.