NY Officer Dragged by Stolen Kia, Hospitalized

Police say it was around 8 p.m. Monday when Officer David Piatek stopped the driver of a black Kia Sportage. Police say the vehicle was reported stolen.

by Staff

May 31, 2023

NY Officer Dragged by Stolen Kia, Hospitalized

Officer David Piatek of the Town of Tonawanda Police Department was dragged by a stolen car and badly injured.

Credit:

Town of Tonawanda

1 min to read

A Tonawanda, NY, police officer was hospitalize Monday when he was dragged and seriously injured by a suspect driving a reported stolen vehicle.

Police say it was around 8 p.m. Monday when Officer David Piatek stopped the driver of a black Kia Sportage. Police say the vehicle was reported stolen and the driver sped off as they were starting to interview the driver, dragging Officer Piatek, WKBW reports.

“At some point in time, during their interview of the occupants, the vehicle fled the scene at a high rate of speed, and Officer Piatek was dragged for approximately 60 feet or more. He sustained a head injury and was treated at the scene by not only our officers, but our paramedics, that work here in the police department, transported to ECMC, where he is now currently in stable condition in the ICU with head trauma and being evaluated,” explained Chief James Stauffiger, Town of Tonawanda Police.

Topics:Officer Injured New York agencies Officer Dragged Patrol

More Patrol

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 5, 2025

Tips for Watching the Hands

How can officers better “watch the hands”? Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association, shares some tips.

Sponsored•by Wayne Parham•December 3, 2025

10 Tips for Felony/High-Risk Stops

What steps can officers take to stay safer during felony or high-risk vehicle stops? Here are 10 tips from Mike Willis, Law Enforcement National Training and Program Director for the US Deputy Sheriff's Association.

Screenshot of compute screen showing a blurred license plate compared to an image where the image has been enhanced to show the numbers and letters.

Patrol•by Edited by Staff•November 25, 2025

Amped Highlights Power Behind Amped FIVE Software

Amped FIVE empowers you to advance your investigations with confidence and precision, from the crime scene all the way to the courtroom.

Background orange tinted image of southern California with pushpin marking Burbank. Headline reads K-9 Killed by Gunman, Burbank Police Department

Patrol•November 24, 2025

Police K-9 Killed, Suspect Dies in Shootout with Cops

A Burbank Police Department K-9 was fatally shot over the weekend by a passenger who fled on foot from a traffic stop. The armed suspect was killed in a shootout with officers.

Patrol•by Wayne Parham•November 23, 2025

From the Show Floor: InVeris

In this video, learn about how InVeris provides training to law enforcement, including customized augmented reality scenarios. The augmented reality system can scan up to 10,000 square feet of real-life environments and create a curriculum based on those spaces.