Officer says ATV hit him
Scott Matthew Boger, 29, of 10535 Pineview Road in Manassas, is charged with felonious assault on a police officer, two counts of assault and battery of a police officer and escape by force.
Police said that Boger has an extensive record of violence.
Officer James Shelton was directing traffic along Moore Drive near the Prince William Parkway following an accident in which a van struck a telephone pole. Residents in the area were without power, and it was Shelton’s duty to keep traffic moving while Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative repaired the pole.
Prince William police Chief Charlie T. Deane said Tuesday evening that the ATV driver came around the line of traffic and was speaking with Shelton, a senior investigator with the accident investigation unit, when Shelton asked that the engine of the Kawasaki Prairie be turned off. Instead, the driver put the ATV in reverse and backed over Shelton, Deane said, and then struck the officer in the face repeatedly with his fist. Deane said nearby workmen came to Shelton’s aid, and the suspect fled on foot.
Shelton was taken to Prince William Hospital in Manassas and treated for eye injuries and facial bruises; he is also undergoing tests to determine if his leg was broken in the assault.
“This was an absolute unprovoked attack that was unforeseen,” Deane said. “It was a routine task he was performing.”
Bijoux Mudibu, 24, witnessed the accident. She said she saw the police officer struggling with the driver, who was described by police as “a big guy, wearing shorts and a T-shirt.”
“I don’t know why they were fighting,” Mudibu said.
Sometime after Shelton was run over, the ATV crashed nose-down into a ditch along Moore Drive.
Andrea Hogan, who lives with Mudibu, said she was home with her children when she heard the ATV crash.
“I was in the house, heard a boom, and heard the man scream. When I came outside, the policeman was saying something,” Hogan said. “His face was crown red. He kept picking up his radio and using one arm.”
Prince William police, Manassas police, Prince William Sheriff’s Office deputies, and Fairfax police officers, using a helicopter, are all involved in the search for the suspect.
Andrea Yochem, a five-year resident of Dozier Mill Acres, said she was on her way home when the initial accident occurred.
“This is a dangerous road,” Yochem said. “Part of it used to be gravel, which slowed people down. Now that it’s paved, people drive too fast.”