UPDATED: Clifton cop dragged 100 yards through parking lot
A Delaware County police officer was dragged through the Kmart parking lot in Clifton Heights after he stopped a suspect believed to be involved in a drug deal, police said.
UPDATED: Clifton cop dragged 100 yards through parking lot
William Bender
A Delaware County police officer was rushed to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania this afternoon after he stopped a Cadillac outside the Kmart in Clifton Heights and was dragged about 100 yards through the parking lot when the suspect hit the gas, police said.
Clifton Heights Police Chief Walter Senkow said Officer Kevin Schieler is conscious and alert, but appears to have suffered a broken leg and could have other serious injuries. Schieler works part time in Clifton and full time in Chester.
Investigators are still on the scene trying to piece together what happened, but Senkow said Schieler may have interrupted a drug deal. The suspect apparently dragged him from the entrance of the Kmart on Baltimore Pike to the rear of the parking lot before slamming into several other cars. The suspect has been taken into custody.
Update: Speaking from the hospital tonight, Senkow says Schieler is "severely injured," including a broken leg, pelvis, and ribs, fractured spine and punctured lung. Schieler, 26, has been stabilized for the night and is expected to undergo surgery tomorrow.
Senkow said it remains unclear whether drugs were the reason for the traffic stop, but that the suspect became "fidgety" when asked for his driver's license, then "took off at a high rate of speed."
"I don’t know if my officer was holding onto the car, or stuck partly in the car, but he was crushed between the suspect's car and the first car that was hit," Senkow said. "The suspect did try to flee and Officer Schieler reached out and grabbed his leg until other officers could get him."
"I give the kid a lot of credit," Senkow said. "He has a lot of heart."
Why does Clifton Heights have its own PD?— bobcitydoc- All of the fiefdoms her in Delco have their own police departments, save for those on the western part of the county who get free police protection from PSP
— cappy - It was in a Kmart parking lot, I think it's safe t assume no nice cars were damaged— cmoney
- this is attempted murder, no excuse!!— Miss M.
Comment removed.- did he get dragged or did he hang on for 100 yards?
- Get better quickly, Officer Schieler!— uniqueid
- Good job Officer Schieler! Get well soon bro.— seeker58
- hope the cop recovers and the suspect gets a very very long prison sentence— Howie FelterSnatch
