Police: Man had drugs, hit cop in traffic stop

A police officer was struck by the car of a man fleeing a vehicle stop in Hempstead on Friday night, police said. The man was arrested and the officer was treated and released for an injured right knee.

After he was stopped, on Jerusalem Avenue in Hempstead, officers saw a clear plastic bag with what they said appeared to be cocaine in the center console. When police asked Robinson to exit his 1998 Buick, he instead placed it into drive, moving forward and striking an officer, according to a police news release.

Robinson's vehicle then struck an unoccupied 1999 Jeep parked on the road's north side, causing the Jeep to strike a street sign, police said.

The struck officer tried removing Robinson from the vehicle, police said, but Robinson accelerated, throwing the officer from the car.

According to police, the defendant drove off, leaving his car on Angevine Street in Hempstead.

Police said witnesses saw Robinson fleeing on foot, headed west on Cruikshank Avenue when he threw an unknown object into a residence's front yard. After an "extensive search," the defendant was seen walking south on South Franklin Avenue, when officers, on foot tried arresting Robinson. He refused to be handcuffed, police said.

"A violent struggle ensued," police said, before Robinson was placed into custody.

Police said they recovered two bags containing what appeared to be cocaine and marijuana from the driveway of a Cruikshank Avenue home.

Robinson faces two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; second-degree assault; resisting arrest; tampering with physical evidence; reckless driving; leaving the scene of an auto accident with property damage; and numerous vehicle and traffic law violations.

Robinson is scheduled to be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead.