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Woman drags off-duty deputy across parking lot

Posted at 11:59 PM, Jan 25, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-25 23:59:45-05

GREENWOOD, Ind. -- He was not on the clock, but a Bartholomew County Sheriff's Deputy risked his life to stop what he thought was a robbery in progress. 

The deputy is sore, but otherwise uninjured after being dragged through the Gander Mountain parking lot by the suspect's vehicle. 

He was about to leave the store when the store associate came running out. She was chasing a woman with a shopping cart and yelling for yelp. 

Deputy Matt Miller responded. He drove around to see the woman loading merchandise in her car before getting behind the wheel. 

With his gun and badge displayed, he asked her to put her hands up, which she did, at first. 

"All of a sudden she reached up with her right hand and threw the car in reverse. I'm standing between the door and the car," Miller said. 

Wedged in, the deputy tried to pull the driver from the car, but his hand was wrapped around her seatbelt. Just then, she hit the gas, dragging him before rear ending something, possibly a light pole. 

Miller knew he was in life-threatening trouble. 

"When I was hanging half way under the car and I hear the engine revving, I knew, I knew something positive needed to happen," he said, "We drove forward into my truck and that was the time I could kind of break free. 

Miller quickly called 911. 23-year-old Stephanie Rogers then led Greenwood Police on a chase down Main Street before crashing into two cars and running. 

A K9 officer caught her near the Valle Vista Golf Course. 

Police say Rogers has two outstanding warrants and was driving with a suspended license. They took her to the Johnson County Jail, where she now faces several other charges.

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