A police officer was hit by a driver during a vehicle check in Essen and was critically injured. The alleged perpetrator was arrested a little later after a large-scale manhunt, as a police spokeswoman reported yesterday.

A patrol car initially wanted to check a 39-year-old driver after a traffic violation yesterday afternoon. He fled. Only after a chase could the patrol car stop him in a cul-de-sac in Essen-Borbeck.

When a police officer got out of the patrol car, the man accelerated, drove towards him and dragged him several meters. The police officer suffered life-threatening injuries. A homicide commission took over the investigation.