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Man drove off with officer's hand in door

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BOYNTON BEACH, Fla., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said a man who attempted to flee during a traffic stop tried to drive away with a police officer's hand stuck in the door handle.

Boynton Beach police said Matthew Clark, 31, of Port Orange, was pulled over at about 10 p.m. Wednesday and officer Mark Sohn said the man seemed nervous and agitated, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Friday.

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Sohn said in his report that he asked Clark if there were any illegal drugs in the vehicle and then asked the driver and passenger Jenica Olah to step out of the car.

Clark started to open his door but quickly slammed the door shut with the officer's hand on the outside handle and began driving off with the officer's fingers stuck in the handle.

"Officer Sohn ordered him to stop and told him multiple times that his fingers were caught," police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said. "Clark continued to increase speed. Officer Sohn was running alongside the vehicle trying to free his fingers and pushing off from the vehicle so as not to get caught under it. Officer Sohn was then able to free his fingers."

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Clark abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot but was caught with the help of a Palm Beach County Sheriff's helicopter and police dogs, officers said.

Officers found marijuana, oxycodone pills and cocaine in Clark's vehicle. He was charged with one count of aggravated battery on an officer, one count of fleeing, and six separate drug trafficking and possession counts.

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