Boise officer hospitalized after getting dragged by vehicle; two arrested

BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — A Boise Police officer was taken to the hospital Wednesday night after she was dragged by a vehicle following a traffic stop.

Boise PD says officers stopped the driver of a vehicle for speeding near Fairview and Cole roads at about 10:13 p.m. The driver, 31-year-old Robert Cockerell of Meridian, exited the car but the passenger, Michael Chapman, moved over into the driver's seat, BPD says.

An officer on the passenger side tried to reach into the vehicle and stop Chapman, but BPD says he accelerated and took off, dragging the officer a short distance before she was thrown to the ground. The vehicle ended up crashing into a tree on the 1800 block of Cole Road and officers were unable to track him down.

The following day, officers spotted Chapman in a parking lot on Overland Road. As they approached, BPD says he took off running and tried to hide a bag that contained a bag of heroin. He was eventually taken into custody.

The injured officer may have weeks of recovery from significant bruising.

Cockerell has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and grand theft while Chapman was charged with felony battery on an officer, eluding and grand theft.