CHARLOTTE — Police have arrested a man who left the scenes of two crashes in southeast Charlotte on Monday, one of which involved a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer.
According to police, shortly before 7:10 a.m., 28-year-old Joseph Spangler was driving a Hyundai Santa Fe when he rear-ended another vehicle on Independence Boulevard near Sharon Forest Drive.
Following the collision, police said Spangler drove off and that the other driver involved called 911 to report the crash.
Police said moments later, Spangler ran a red light at the intersection of Monroe Road and Village Lake Drive and hit a marked CMPD police cruiser that was traveling through the intersection with a green light, causing the patrol car to flip onto its roof.
After the crash, police said Spangler got out of his car and ran away, setting off a search. Officers worked with CMPD’s K-9 Unit to track Spangler and while they were looking for him, police said a community member called 911 to report that someone who appeared injured had walked out of the woods.
Officers responded and found Spangler at a home on Dunfries Road.
Spangler, who police said had minor injuries from the crash, was taken to a hospital to be treated and then was interviewed by detectives. Following the interview, Spangler was charged with felony hit and run, misdemeanor hit and run, reckless driving and driving with a revoked license.
Police determined Spangler had been driving on the wrong side of the road and cutting vehicles off immediately before running the red light and colliding with the patrol car.
The officer involved in the crash was taken to the hospital but is expected to be OK.
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