Maryland: Officer struck by DUI suspect in Gaithersburg

An officer is expected to recover after being struck by a suspected DUI driver in Gaithersburg early Wednesday morning.

According to Captain Paul Starks, spokesman for the Montgomery County Police Department, the incident began around 1:09 a.m. when an officer pulled over a suspected DUI driver. The suspect drove into a cul-de-sac at Grantchester Pl., but when the officer approached the vehicle on foot, he started his engine and drove towards the officer. The officer fired his weapon, striking the suspect vehicle, but not the driver. That's when the DUI driver struck the officer with his car and kept going, eventually running into a Montgomery County Police cruiser.

The suspect then took off on foot, but was apprehended after a short chase.

The suspect is a man in his 30's, and will face DUI and assault charges.

The officer was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Since the officer involved in the incident fired his weapon, members of the Montgomery County Police Department's Internal Affairs Division are on scene investigating, as per protocol.