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Police: Man charged after stealing from Costco, dragging off-duty officer

St. Louis County Police said 39-year-old Willie Washington was charged with stealing, fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest in connection with the incident at the Costco on the 4200 block of Rusty Road.
Credit: St. Louis County PD
St. Louis County Police said 39-year-old Willie Washington was charged with stealing, fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest in connection with the incident at the Costco on the 4200 block of Rusty Road.

ST. LOUIS COUNTY – A St. Louis man is facing charges after police said he stole from a St. Louis County Costco and dragged an off-duty police officer trying to stop him Wednesday evening.

St. Louis County Police said 39-year-old Willie Washington was charged with stealing, fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest in connection with the incident at the Costco on the 4200 block of Rusty Road.

Police said the off-duty officer was shopping at the store when employees told him two people were stealing. He walked out to the parking lot where he saw the men getting into a van to flee the scene.

The officer got into his marked police vehicle to follow the van, according to police. He then pulled the van over and began arresting the men in the van. While he was making arrests, a man who he did not know was in the van jumped into the driver's seat and put the van in reverse, hitting the officer with the driver's side of the van.

Police said the officer broke the van window with his gun and fired a shot at Washington's leg. The officer held on to the van door and was dragged several feet before falling off and hitting his head on the pavement. He suffered injuries in the incident, but they were not life-threatening.

Washington got away but took himself to the hospital, where he was taken into custody. He is being held on $60,000 bond.

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