Ardmore Police Officer speaks out after being dragged through a parking lot by DUI suspect

ARDMORE, Ala. (WAFF) - Shocking video of an Ardmore Police Officer being dragged through a gas station parking lot has become public.

The incident happened in February and the injured officer decided to speak out and show WAFF 48 News the video for the first time.

Officer Brandon Crews says DUI suspect, William Haston tried to flee once he found out he was under arrest.

According to the police report, when Haston was arrested he allegedly told the Ardmore Police Chief that Crews “was fine when I pulled off.” Crews said it was the complete opposite.

“It definitely could have ended worse. I honestly believe he was trying to kill me,” Crews said.

It all started off as a set of routine field sobriety before it took a dramatic turn at Kim’s Tiger Mart. Haston was walking back towards his car and continuously ignored Crews’ call to stop.

Once in his car, Haston put it in drive and drug Crews through the parking, running over his right leg. Crews said his main goal was to get the suspect off the road.

“I gotta do what I [got to] do and do my job to make sure that he doesn’t kill anybody in my community or anybody else,” Crews said. “I’m the only line of defense at that point.”

In police body camera and gas station surveillance video, Officer Crews does everything he can to stop the offender.

His attorney, Will League says video evidence like this will only help in the courtroom.

“When you have video evidence like we do in this case, it’s right there for the jurors to see and it’s difficult to watch,” League said.

As for the injuries, Officer Crews sustained that day, he says it has kept him off the job for months and he has months left of rehab before rejoining the force.

“My knee will never be the same again. And then, my shoulder may never be the same again from where it got dislocated,” Crews said. “These are things I gotta live with.”

Officer Crews also has to live with the emotional toll this situation took on both him and his family.

“It’s hard knowing that I could have been killed. Because I have two nephews that mean the world to me,” he said.

The DUI suspect, William Haston is still in the Limestone County Jail on an $11,000 bond. WAFF 48 News reached out to his lawyer for comment, and at the time of publishing has not heard back.

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