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Lawrence officer injured by own baton during arrest of DUI suspect

Posted at 8:58 AM, Jan 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-23 13:20:22-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Lawerence, Kansas, police officer was hospitalized after he was injured during an arrest early Tuesday morning.

Lawrence police said they were sent to the intersection of West 6th Street and Wakarusa Drive around 12:45 a.m., where a white Chevrolet Silverado had struck a pole.

When officers got to the scene, they were told the driver had moved the truck to a nearby parking lot and gone into a business.

The officers investigated and attempted to arrest 22-year-old Shane Paslay, of Topeka, Kansas, on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Paslay resisted and ran away. After a short foot chase, an officer caught up to him, though he continued to fight.

The officer used his baton on the suspect, but during the struggle, fell and landed on it.

The baton punctured the officer’s body, police said.

He was taken to a local hospital. Police said his injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.

Paslay was apprehended by another officer and taken to the Douglas County Jail, where he was booked on charges of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, interference with the duties of a law enforcement officer, DUI, and operating a vehicle in violation of an ignition interlock device.