Madman Drags Cop on Road, Runs Him Over in Shocking Police Attack
Routine Stop Turns Violent in Chafford Hundred
Two officers on patrol in Merlin Close, Chafford Hundred, never expected a routine check to explode into chaos on 14 January. They stopped a suspicious Vauxhall Corsa parked on a grass verge. The driver, Dayne Cooper, was behind the wheel of a car with no insurance and no registered keeper.
Weaponry and Drugs Spark Search
The officers spotted two half snooker cues, a golf club, and traces of cannabis in the vehicle. They ordered Cooper out for a search. But as soon as one officer opened the driver’s door, Cooper floored it—dragging the officer along the ground by the door handle.
Threats, Assaults, and Dangerous Driving
Cooper threatened to kill the officer and ran over his foot as the car mounted a curb and grassy area. The officers tried desperately to stop the rampaging driver—one grabbing the steering wheel and keys, while the second tried to pull his colleague back.
The mad dash continued until the car finally stopped. Cooper was yanked from the vehicle but fought back fiercely, punching the female officer in the head and knocking her to the ground. Even CS spray didn’t stop him; he bolted.
Chase and Capture
The female officer gave chase as Cooper tried to hijack a passerby’s car and climb a gate to escape. But she caught him with help from other officers, bringing the violent ordeal to an end.
Sentenced for Brutal Attack
At Basildon Crown Court on 16 November, 27-year-old Cooper from Fenton Road, Chafford Hundred, pled guilty to actual bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, dangerous driving, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. On 25 November, he was jailed, banned from driving for four years and eight months, and ordered to pay £600 in compensation plus £200 in costs.
“This was a horrific attack on colleagues who were just trying to do their job,” said PC Owen Clements of Grays CID. “Thankfully they were not seriously harmed but there could easily have been a very different outcome if that car had not stopped.”
