Charges: Driver nearly dragged cop with car

Charges: Driver nearly dragged cop with car

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PARK CITY — A 76-year-old Park City man drove away with a police officer still hanging on his vehicle and refused to pull over, according to charging documents.

Merle Winslow Carlson was charged Monday in Summit County's 3rd District Court with failing to stop for police, a third-degree felony, and reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor.

On July 31, Summit County Sheriff's Sgt. Tim Berger was helping with traffic control during the closure of I-80 to install a new bridge. As Carlson's vehicle approached the officer, he ignored the sergeant's order to stop, the charges state.

When Berger leaned in the window to talk to Carlson, he could smell alcohol, according to court documents. Carlson then "slammed" on the accelerator, the charges state.

"Berger's arm was hooked in the window and he had to lift himself off the ground to avoid being drug or run over," according to court records.

Despite continuous orders to stop, Carlson kept driving, the charges state. Berger "had to push himself off the vehicle," court record state.

The officer was not injured. Carlson was issued a summons to appear in court.

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Pat Reavy is a longtime police and courts reporter. He joined the KSL.com team in 2021, after many years of reporting at the Deseret News and KSL NewsRadio before that.

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