MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Martinsburg Police Chief George Swartwood is thanking God and his law enforcement family for a good outcome after Patrolman Ethan Anderson was dragged by a car and injured during a traffic stop.
It happened early on Sunday, December 12th. By Tuesday, the suspects were arrested.
“Very early on Sunday morning, about 1 a.m. (Patrolman Anderson) had gone to a vehicle stop – it was a suspicious vehicle. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that there was a warrant for Mr. Fletcher, the driver. When (Anderson) tried to effect the arrest, (Fletcher) was not compliant and unfortunately, when he took off in the vehicle, he was dragging my patrolman along with him and (Anderson) was alongside of it,” Chief Swartwood said.
Chief says he is glad it wasn’t worse.
“When he was able to break free from that, he suffered a lot of injuries on impact, a lot of facial abrasions, both eyes. But fortunately, he is doing well. He is on the mend. Thank God that he didn’t go under the vehicle and get his legs run over.”
Swartwood remarked on the multi-jurisdictional effort from his law enforcement family:
“When it happens to one of our own,” Chief Swartwood said, “You can’t believe the family and the brotherhood and sisterhood that comes out trying to help in every way they possibly can. I made sure that Ethan knew that. He was aware of what was going on. And I told him there when I got notified of the arrest, I said, ‘We got ‘em. They got ‘em down in Charles Town. Both suspects are under arrest.’ He was pleased by that.”
The US Marshals Service tells The Panhandle News Network Jason Fletcher, 42, and Farrah Fletcher, 44, were arrested by the Mountain State Fugitive Task Force at a motel in Charles Town Tuesday, December 14th.
“This job is inherently very dangerous. Very dangerous indeed,” Chief Swartwood said. “And sometimes we put ourselves in harm’s way because that’s what we swore to do. We swore to uphold the law and protect the citizens of our communities and that’s what we’re going to do.”
On December 12th, the Martinsburg officer was attempting to arrest Jason Fletcher on an outstanding battery warrant during the traffic stop when Fletcher allegedly did not comply and fled with the officer entangled in his vehicle.
The task force learned that the Fletchers were staying at the Days Inn in Charles Town and arrested them around 1 p.m. Tuesday, the release said.
No one was injured during the arrest, according to Mike Ulrich, deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District Of West Virginia.
Jason Fletcher is charged with unlawful assault on a law enforcement officer and fleeing in a vehicle with reckless indifference, Ulrich said.
He was last reportedly being held without bail at Eastern Regional Jail in Martinsburg .
