A man who sped off from a traffic stop and then caused a traffic crash with a Tampa police officer last month was arrested today after blood analysis revealed he was driving under the influence, the Tampa Police Department said.
Desmond Smith, 25, of Tampa, was arrested Tuesday afternoon outside a Tampa home after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Smith was charged with three counts of driving under the influence with serious injury, three counts of reckless driving with serious injury, two counts of driving under the influence with property damage and two counts of reckless driving, police said.
Last month, Smith was being pulled over for a traffic stop by a Tampa police officer at Hillsborough Avenue and 43rd Street. Instead of stopping, he made a U-turn and drove away from the scene at a high rate of speed, police said.
While Smith was traveling south on 39th Street, he ran a stop sign and crashed into a Tampa police officer's patrol car. Sgt. Robert Nassief, who was heading to the scene, was injured in the crash.
Nassief, a 29-year veteran of the police department, is still recuperating from the Sept. 4 crash. He has not returned to work and doctors don't know when he will be able to return, police said.
In the blood analysis, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement determined Smith had marijuana in his system that exceeded the levels of impairment at the time of the crash, police said.
Smith was arrested after the Sept. 4{+ }crash and charged with aggravated fleeing or eluding and driving with a suspended license. He received a citation for running a stop sign, police said.
He was released from jail Sept. 4 after posting $3,000 bail. He is now being held on $75,000 bail, according to jail records.
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