Kansas Officer Impaled on Baton During Struggle with Suspect

A Lawrence, KS, police officer was impaled on his own metal baton early Monday while struggling with a man suspected of drunken driving, reports the Kansas City Star .

Lawrence police said the officer was hospitalized with injuries that appeared not to be life-threatening.

About 12:45 a.m. Monday police responded to the scene of a single-vehicle crash. The 22-year-old driver of the vehicle that had crashed into a pole began fighting as officers tried to arrest him for suspected drunken driving, police said.

As the driver fought with an officer who had deployed a collapsible baton, the officer fell to the ground and the baton "penetrated his body," according to police.

The suspect ran away, but was caught by another officer and arrested.