DUI suspect drags officer trying to escape, police say

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A man is in custody for injuring an officer while driving under the influence.

Police say it started around 10 p.m. Monday when they were investigating a DUI accident on Blackstone and El Paso. During that time officers say one of the passengers they believed to be intoxicated, 20-year-old Joan El Campo. Got into another car and refused officers commands to get out. That's when he took off -- dragging an officer a short distance before he ended up crashing the car a few blocks away.

"Our officers immediately believed the traffic collision here was related. They responded here and at that time they located Mr. El Campo. The officer who was injured responded during the time Mr. El Campo was detained at the scene and was identified as the driver who resisted him, who walked away, got in the car drove away." said Lt. Dave Ramos, Fresno Police Department.

Officers gave El Campo a sobriety test where his blood alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit.

He was arrested and is now facing felony DUI charges, along with assault with a deadly weapon.

The officer was treated at the hospital but is expected to be okay.