CMPD: Fugitive rammed cruisers, witness's car prior to officer shooting

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By Tina Terry

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police identified the fugitive and the officer in an officer-involved shooting in southeast Charlotte Wednesday night.

Nicholas Poulos, 30, remains in the hospital Thursday for treatment, but once he is released he will be served with warrants for assault on a law enforcement officer, assault with a deadly weapon, four counts of damage to property, possession of stolen vehicle and possession of marijuana.

(Nicholas Poulos)

Police said officers spotted Poulos driving a stolen vehicle and tried to take him into custody.

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Officers said they first tried to stop Poulos near I-77 and Carowinds around 10 p.m. but he drove off. They said they caught up to him 18 miles away near the intersection of Wendover and Monroe roads.

Officers tried to make another traffic stop, got out of their cars to confront Poulos, and that's when he rammed police cruisers and a witness's car, CMPD said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police Chief Kerr Putney said officers felt they needed to act quickly to capture Poulos.

"They wanted to box the subject in because of his history of fleeing. Unfortunately, the suspect began to ram the vehicles and continue to escape," Putney said.

[ [RELATED: Police find missing 76-year-old Charlotte woman safe in Gaston County] ]

Putney said one of the officers felt their lives were in danger so that officer fired at least one shot that struck the suspect in the hand.

The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Officer David Harvey. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure with any officer-involved shooting. Harvey has been employed with CMPD since Aug. 29, 2011 and is currently assigned to the Steele Creek Division.

CMPD said no officers were injured.

Nearby residents said they were outraged that officers could have been hurt.

"They have children and they have families that they have to deal with outside of work, you know," resident  Darian Lloyd said. "And that's their job and they're here for safety."

[ [RELATED: CMPD welcomes 43 new officers, still has 157 vacancies] ]

Channel 9 dug into Poulos' criminal record and found he was convicted in July 2017 on speeding to elude arrest and larceny from person. He was sentenced to a one year and seven months in prison. The North Carolina Department of Corrections website said he violated his post-release supervision.

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