DeLand police say a man and his dog died in a fiery crash Wednesday morning while fleeing a traffic stop that injured an officer.
Officer Tony Tagle stopped the man, whose name hasn’t been released, about 2:50 a.m. after a taxi driver called 911 saying a vehicle was following him, police said.
The taxi driver told police he was on his way to a hospital with a woman who had gotten into a disturbance with her boyfriend. He said the woman’s boyfriend was possibly in the vehicle behind them and gave officers a description of a white Chevrolet sport utility vehicle.
Officer Tagle spotted the vehicles near Plymouth and Orange avenues, and got the SUV to pull over, according to police.
The driver allegedly admitted that he had been arguing with his girlfriend and then Tagle spotted “suspected drugs” inside the SUV, police said. He told the man to step out, but instead, police said the man started the engine and pulled the driver’s door shut on Tagle’s hand, trapping him.
The man then sped away, dragging Tagle several feet, police said. Tagle eventually managed to free himself, but the man kept driving.
About seven minutes later, another officer responding as backup spotted a smashed vehicle less than a mile away on South Stone Street, according to police.
The vehicle was on fire and appeared to be the same SUV that Tagle tried to stop, police said.
After extinguishing the flames, officers found a man and dog dead inside. Police were working Wednesday to positively identify the man and notify his family.
Tagle was treated at a hospital for injuries to his left hand and has since been released, according to police.
It’s unclear if the woman was injured. Details about the couple’s argument weren’t released.
sallen@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5417
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