SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR SUSPECT IN ASSAULT ON POLICE IN SALISBURY

(SALISBURY, MD) – State, county and city police are searching tonight for a wanted suspect who fled from police trying to arrest him and injured two police officers during his getaway.

Police are searching for Edwin Fletcher, 31. He is described as an African American male, 6’2” tall, 160 lbs. A search is underway in the Salisbury area. Police are using K-9 dogs and a State Police helicopter, in addition to police on foot and in cars.

Details are still preliminary. At this time, known information is that shortly after 8:00 p.m. today, a task force team of Maryland State Police, Salisbury Police and Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office personnel were working an undercover investigation attempting to locate Fletcher, who is wanted on a warrant for drug felony charges.

Police observed the suspect pulling into a parking lot off Market Street in Salisbury. The suspect was driving a Dodge Ram pickup and had another person in the truck with him. Police pulled in to surround the truck and attempt an arrest of the suspect. They activated emergency police lights and some officers got out of their cars identifying themselves verbally and with badges, while wearing jackets that said POLICE.

Instead of surrendering, the suspect driver, believed to be Fletcher, immediately accelerated the truck rammed head on into a trooper’s car. He then accelerated again and drove up onto and over the troopers car while the trooper was inside, injuring the trooper. In fear for the trooper’s life, police officers on the scene fired at the suspect driver as he was driving over the trooper’s car.

After driving over the police car, the suspect left the parking lot and fled the area. A short time later, police found the pickup truck abandoned on Camden Avenue.

A sheriff’s deputy was also injured in the incident, but how his injuries were sustained is not clear at this time. Both the trooper and deputy were transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center where they are being treated.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is on the scene and conducting an investigation into the police involved shooting. There is no indication at this time the suspect was struck by police gunfire. No police officers were injured by gunshots.

The investigation is continuing. Additional information will be provided tomorrow after it becomes available through further investigation.

Originally published at 11:27 PM.