Police officer attacked during traffic stop, officials say

LIVERMORE — A police officer said he was attacked and injured during a traffic stop Friday morning, the Livermore Police Department said.

A Livermore police motorcycle officer stopped a brown Toyota Tundra on Isabel Avenue between Interstate 580 and Portola Avenue at about 11:45 am., a news release said.

When the officer was beginning to dismount his motorcycle, the suspect driver abruptly put his pickup truck into reverse and accelerate at a high rate of speed backward directly at the officer and his motorcycle, according to police.

Police say the officer was forced to jump from his motorcycle into an incoming lane of traffic on Isabel Avenue. The suspect ran over the police motorcycle causing significant damage and rendering it disabled before fleeing the scene, police said.

Police said in the release that the officer “narrowly escaped the blatant attack and the potential of being struck by passing traffic.” The officer sustained injuries and received medical treatment.

Other officers responding to an emergency nearby pursued the suspect vehicle as it fled but the pursuit was cancelled due to safety concerns for the public and the officers involved, police said.

“This act of violence against our officer is absolutely unacceptable,”Police Chief Jeramy Young said in a statement. “Our officers put their lives on the line for our community and an attack on an officer is an attack on our community. We will work tirelessly to bring this offender to justice.”

The suspect is currently still at large. Police did not release a description of the person or any license information on the vehicle. Anyone with information is asked to contact Livermore Police.