Man accused of ramming police vehicle, injuring officer in Philadelphia's Bustleton section

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 40-year-old man is being accused of ramming his vehicle into a Philadelphia police SUV, injuring an officer.

The 19-year veteran with the police department is now recovering.

Police responded to the 1700 block of Grant Avenue, across from Grant Plaza in Philadelphia's Bustleton section, around 11:40 p.m. on Wednesday to serve a protection from abuse order (PFA) order. However, the individual being served fled the area.

Then, around 1 a.m. on Thursday, an officer recognized a vehicle and its driver from the earlier incident and saw the vehicle entering the parking lot of an apartment complex on the same block.

When the officer pulled into the parking lot, officials claim the driver quickly accelerated in reverse toward the police vehicle. The officer activated the vehicle's air horn, but the driver allegedly continued to reverse at a high speed, striking the police vehicle.

"It appears he intentionally put his car in reverse and rammed the front, traveling in reverse of a 7th district officer that was on the assignment," said Chief Inspector Scott Small with the Philadelphia Police Department.

He hit the police vehicle with so much force that it left heavy front damage and led to several airbags being deployed, injuring the officer.

The officer was able to get out of the police SUV, pull the suspect from his vehicle and take him into custody.

"Police and medics responded. She was shaken up, clearly hit with a lot of force from the airbag. So she was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital to be checked out," Small said.

The officer has since been released from the hospital.

The man is expected to be charged with assaulting a police officer.