COLUMBIA, S.C. — A deputy is out of the hospital after authorities say an escaping suspect rammed his vehicle on Saturday night.
The Richland County Sheriff's Department said a deputy attempted to stop a vehicle for running a red light near the intersection of Broad and Seminole roads. The department said the driver refused to stop, and a chase followed.
Authorities said 27-year-old Renee Perry struck an uninvolved vehicle and rammed the car belonging to Master Deputy E. Velez-Cruz hard enough that the airbags deployed.
The department said Perry's vehicle eventually stopped and caught fire. Deputies put the fire out, and the suspect was hospitalized with minor injuries.
According to the sheriff's office, the uninvolved motorist was uninjured, but Deputy Velez-Cruz was taken to the hospital. The sheriff's department said his injuries were minor, and he was released later in the evening.
Sheriff Leon Lott said Perry's "recklessness" put others at risk, adding that he was glad the deputy was OK.
Perry was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Sunday for failure to stop for blue lights and assault and battery in the first degree. The sheriff's department said the South Carolina Highway Patrol assisted in the pursuit and may file additional charges.
"Running from the police elevates the danger for everyone involved: the suspect, the public, and our law enforcement," Sheriff Leon Lott said.
