LAKEWOOD - A Lakewood police officer is in the hospital after he was hit by a car while confronting a car theft suspect, Lakewood police said.
That suspect was identified in a release Friday afternoon as 23-year-old Arlita Flores from Denver. She is facing charges including motor vehicle theft and obstructing a police officer due to the confrontation. According to the release, she was with 24-year-old Enrique Arellano from Parker who is facing several charges stemming from the incident including assault, hit and run and eluding.
Officers were patrolling the parking lot of the Crossland Economy Studios at 715 Kipling St. around 2 a.m. Friday when they spotted a stolen car in the parking lot, an earlier release from the department said.
Flores and Arellano came out of a room and got into the stolen car, police said. When officers approached the pair, Arellano ignored their commands and drove away, hitting an officer who was in the parking lot.
Arellano kept driving for a short distance and crashed the car into another parked car. Both suspects then ran from the car.
Flores was quickly located. Arellano was taken into custody several hours later around 8 a.m. at a gas station at 722 Kipling St.
The injured officer, who is only being identified as a 13-year veteran of the Lakewood Police Department, is being treated at St. Anthony Hospital. He is expected to recover from his injuries.
