ISP Sgt. Michael Burns said Trooper Ginger Marshall pulled over a suspected drunken driver at Xenia Drive and Winchester Drive, just south of Stop 11 Road, at about 12:20 a.m.

That driver, identified as Michael Kessler (pictured), 48, of Columbus, jumped out of the car and ran eastbound on Stop 11 Road after he was pulled over, investigators said.

Marshall chased down Kessler, tripped him and was able to get handcuffs on one arm, but Kessler turned around and struck Marshall in the head with his fist, Burns said.

Marshall used Mace to try to subdue Kessler, but he got on top of her and began choking her before hitting her in the face again and running away, Burns said.

"He had spun around, got on top of her and he actually had her to where his arm was wrapped around her neck and was applying pressure to her neck," said ISP Trooper Benjamin Cook. "He was also delivering punches to … her back."

Marshall's hand was cut and she suffered from pain where she was struck in the head. Marshall went to Methodist Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Trooper Ginger Marshall

Kessler had his license permanently revoked in 1992, but in 1997 he was convicted of driving while intoxicated and sentenced to prison. He was convicted twice more on the same charge -- once in Marion County in 2007 and once in Bartholomew County in 2008.

"It's frustrating to see these repeat offenders go to prison, get out of prison and come back and do it again," Johnson County Prosecutor Brad Cooper told 6News' Jennifer Carmack. "If that didn't teach him a lesson to straighten up and fly right, our only option is to pretty much put him in a cage for as long as we can so we can protect everybody."

Kessler is about 5 feet 7 inches tall and weights 185 pounds. He was last seen running eastbound on Stop 11 Road wearing blue jeans, no shirt and a handcuff on his right arm.

Kessler will face numerous charges, including battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. Police said he is also a habitual traffic offender.

Police asked anyone with information to call them at 317-899-8575.