One officer dragged, another injured in late night chase from Jupiter to West Palm Beach

JUPITER, Fla. -- One officer was dragged, and a second officer was injured at the beginning of a police chase early this morning that began in Jupiter and ended in West Palm Beach.

Officers with the Jupiter Police Department responded to a driver passed out behind the wheel of a car around 3:34 a.m, footsteps away from the Jupiter police station near the intersection of Indiantown Road at Military Trail, according to Jupiter police spokesperson Scott Pascarella.

An officer approached the man, later identified as Michael Fleurizard, 20, to wake him up and attempt a DUI investigation.

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Pascarella said Fleurizard resisted the officer’s attempts to conduct their investigation and fled in his vehicle, dragging one officer and striking another.

Police followed Fleurizard southbound on A1A, but cut off the pursuit because he was driving recklessly, Pascarella said.

They were later notified by West Palm Beach police that Fleurizard had crashed into a guardrail at the intersection of Broadway and Northwood Road in West Palm Beach.

The North Palm Beach Police Department and West Palm Beach Police Department assisted in apprehending Fleurizard and transported him to Good Samaritan Medical Center with minor injuries.

He was later booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated fleeing to elude, possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana. 

The two Jupiter police officers received minor injuries as a result of the incident. One is being treated at Jupiter Medical Center and the other did not require medical treatment, Pascarella said.