A man has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and other assault charges, after he allegedly intentionally rammed a Clarksville Police officer’s cruiser.
According to a news release from the Clarksville Police Department, officers responded to residence on Cleveland Drive around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday for reports of a domestic assault, and upon arrival, learned that the suspect—36-year-old James Vasquez—had left before officers arrived.
Later that day, Clarksville police received a call that Vasquez was back in the area, and an officer went back to the scene, attempting to make a traffic stop on the vehicle Vasquez was driving. He allegedly fled the area, and due to children trick-or-treating in the area, was not pursued.
The officer went to the victim’s home to check on her, and that’s when Vasquez allegedly circled back around and then rammed the patrol car from behind, causing severe damage. Witnesses stated that the truck swerved to deliberately ram the officer’s cruiser.
The officer sustained minor injuries in the collision—he was able to exit the vehicle and take Vasquez into custody. He is facing charges of aggravated assault on a first responder, domestic assault, reckless endangerment, evading arrest, DUI, simple possession, possession of an open alcohol container and unlawful drug paraphernalia.