Video: NC Officers Attacked by Convicted Murderer at Traffic Stop
A convicted murderer is accused of punching one Albemarle, NC, police officer and choking another during a traffic stop Monday night.
A convicted murderer is accused of punching one Albemarle, NC, police officer and choking another during a traffic stop Monday night.
"I couldn't breathe or anything and couldn't get him off," Officer Doug Edwards told WSOC TV about the attack.
What started as a stop for an expired license plate tag, quickly turned violent and dangerous for Edwards and Officer Josh Laws.
"Usually, people are fighting to get away and run. This gentleman had no intentions of leaving,” Laws said. “He was more up for the fight, wanting to actually fight us and cause injury."
Laws and Edwards said they asked the suspect, John Surratt Jr., to get out of the car after realizing he had outstanding arrest warrants.
The officers did not know, at the time, that they were dealing with a convicted murderer.
In 2001, Surratt was charged and convicted of second-degree murder in Stanly County. He escaped from deputies in 2005 when being treated at the hospital.
He served 14 years in prison and got out in 2014.
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