Conyers police officer dragged by suspect a traffic stop

CONYERS, GA– A 55-year-old Covington man is facing numerous charges after driving off and dragging a Conyers Police Department officer who was attempting to arrest him while the officer was conducting a traffic stop.

The driver who was arrested was identified as William Cornelius.

The incident occurred on Dec. 31 around 4:17 p.m., as the CPD Traffic Unit officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that had a brake light not

functioning and a tinted tag cover. During the traffic stop investigation, the officer

suspected the driver was under the influence and was attempting to further the

investigation when Cornelius began physically resisting. The officer deployed his taser, but Cornelius continued to resist.

Cornelius made his way back to the driver’s seat of his vehicle, and the officer

attempted to remove him from the vehicle. While the officer was attempting to remove Cornelius from the vehicle, Cornelius placed the vehicle in drive, ultimately dragging the officer 35-40 feet until he was able to let go of the vehicle, CPD said.

A description of Cornelius’s vehicle was aired, and with the use of Flock

license plate readers, officers located the vehicle near West Avenue and I-20. Officers pursued Cornelius for a short distance onto I-20 westbound near West Avenue until a precision immobilization technique (PIT) was used to disable Cornelius’s vehicle.

Cornelius was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for non-threatening injuries sustained from the PIT maneuver.  

Cornelius was charged with Aggravated Assault Against a Law Enforcement Officer, Felony Fleeing and Eluding, Obstruction, and several traffic- related offenses.

The CPD officer also was transported to a hospital for his injuries.