Dragged officer says he would do it again

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

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Officer Truong plans to return to work on Saturday.

TAMPA (Bay News 9) -- The Tampa police officer seen in dramatic video this week hanging onto a car while it sped down the road said he would do it all over again.

"We were going pretty fast," officer Kiet Truong said. "And I wasn't going to let go. I wasn't going to let him hit a vehicle on the left side because I was going to be dead then too."

Truong spoke to the public for the first time Wednesday about his close call.

Truong had pulled over Legrand Pratt Jr. of North Carolina. When he saw Pratt reach for the ignition, Truong reached in to turn the car off.

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That's when the dragging occurred. The suspect sped off with the officer hanging on.

"I just grabbed onto whatever I could and jumped into the vehicle," he said.

Truong kept the driver's door open with his left leg and used his left arm to steer the car toward the middle of the road.

His right arm was lodged between the steering wheel and Pratt's body.

"I was a little scared -- a lot scared," Truong said. "I was just trying to keep him from rubbing off on the left side. He was trying to hit some telephone poles."

Truong hung on to the car for about four blocks.

"I don't know if he pushed me out or he jerked the vehicle," he said. "All I know is that I went flying out."

Even then Truong wasn't about to let the suspect get away.

His partner, officer David Bradley, was close behind.

"I'm amazed I jumped up and got in the car with Dave, and started chasing him again," Truong said.

He said thinking back he may have done something differently, but he can't think of what that might have been.

"The whole thing was crazy," he said. "It's the worst 30 seconds of my life. It's just scary."

Evidence of Sunday's chase remains here at the corner of Braddock Street and Himes Avenue near Raymond James Stadium. Truong plans to return to duty this weekend.

The 32 year old walked away with just cuts and bruises and plans to return to work on Saturday.

Thursday he'll fly to New York for an interview on CNN.