SOLON, Ohio — The suspect accused of injuring a Solon police officer while fleeing a traffic stop turned himself into police Wednesday, three days after a traffic stop that sent the officer to the hospital.
Solon police said the attorney of 27-year-old Termaine Jackson of Twinsburg reached out to them on Tuesday. The next day at 7 a.m., he showed up at the police department.
Authorities were searching for Jackson for an alleged assault on a peace officer, fleeing and eluding and obstructing official business.
According to officials, the incident happened just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, when Officer James Cervik reported clocking a 2015 Nissan Altima at 88 miles per hour in a 60 mph zone on Route 422 eastbound.
After writing a citation, Cervik said he "detected an odor of marijuana". When a backup officer arrived he also said he smelled the marijuana. Cervik ordered the suspect to get out of the vehicle, but he didn't.
"The smell of marijuana will give the officer probable cause to go ahead and conduct a search of the vehicle," said Assistant Police Chief Donald Haines.
Haines praised Cervik and the backup officer's actions. "We think they acted in a calm and professional manner, considering the situation that they were in."
In body camera video released Monday, you can hear Jackson apologize for speeding and explaining he was trying to get home to Twinsburg. Cervik repeatedly asked Jackson if he had a weapon on him — which he denied — and ordered him to get out.
After about four minutes, the suspect admitted to being a convicted felon and also having a firearm, information that Haines said "gave rise to Officer Cervik's concern. Therefore, he knew then he had to get the suspect out of the vehicle and in custody for his safety."
Bodycam footage shows Cervik reach into the car and attempt to forcibly remove Jackson. Dash cam video from the patrol car shows the suspect's car accelerate one to two seconds after Cervik reaches into the vehicle to pull him out.
The officer stays with the car for a couple seconds and then rolls to the ground.
"It's just another example that when somebody does not comply with the lawful orders of a police officer, somebody gets injured, whether it's the officer, whether it’s the suspect, or both," Haines said. "This situation could have been avoided had the suspect simply complied with the lawful orders of Officer Cervik."
The 57-year-old patrolman Cervik is a 31-year veteran of the Solon Police Department. He was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries but has since been released.
Jackson is currently being held in the Solon Jail and an arraignment is pending.
3News' Tyler Carey contributed to this report.
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