A Colorado State Trooper was injured Tuesday night in Fort Collins when the man he had pulled over drove off, dragging the trooper alongside the car.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the driver, Juan Alvarez, 42, of Fort Collins, on seven charges, including first-degree assault. Alvarez is a Mexican citizen and ICE has been notified, according to John Schulz, a spokesman with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
At around 8 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office, trooper Dan Thompson pulled Alvarez’s vehicle over near North College Avenue and Wilcox Lane. While Thompson was standing next to the open car window, Alvarez put the car in gear and sped off.
Thompson grabbed Alvarez’s arm and was dragged 30 feet before letting go, the sheriff’s office said.
The abandoned vehicle was later found in a ditch near Wilcox Lane and Shields Street, and Alvarez was found hiding behind some propane tanks in the 200 block of U.S. 287 less than an hour after he was first pulled over.
Thompson was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital and treated for minor injuries before being released. Thompson has been with the Colorado State patrol since 2000 and was assigned to Fort Collins in July of last year.
Alvarez is being held at Larimer County Jail.
Tuesday night was Alvarez’s birthday.
Mitchell Byars: 303-954-1698 or mbyars@denverpost.com
