CAMPBELL Man faces multiple charges in dragging of officer

The driver intentionally used his vehicle to strike a cruiser, police said.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
CAMPBELL -- A city police officer was injured when he reached inside a car to turn off its ignition and the driver hit the accelerator, dragging the officer about 45 yards.
Officer Kenneth Arendas, 33, had minor injuries to his forehead and right side of his body.
According to the police report, another officer stopped a beige 1984 Oldsmobile with a cracked windshield and license plates belonging to a Ford hatchback about 5:10 p.m. Wednesday on Coitsville Road near Sixth Street.
Arendas arrived to assist, and officers learned the driver's license had been suspended. They asked the driver, Carl Stores, 45, of Gordon Avenue, to get out of his vehicle, but he drove off instead, police said.
Officers pursued Stores to Coitsville Road and Wilson Avenue, where they blocked his vehicle behind a car stopped at the crossroad. As Arendas reached into Stores' car to remove the keys, the car in front of Stores' vehicle pulled away and Stores followed, dragging Arendas "approximately 45 yards" until he was ejected from the vehicle and struck the pavement, police said.
The other officer pursued Stores after Arendas fell, pulling alongside in an attempt to stop him. At this point, the report says, Stores intentionally used his vehicle to strike the right side of the cruiser.
Arendas ran back to his cruiser and also continued the pursuit.
A tractor-trailer blocking Wilson Avenue near Warhurst Road forced Stores to stop, and both officers again used their cruisers to block his car.
According to police, Stores became combative as officers tried to remove him from his car, and he tried to run away. After a short struggle, the report states, Stores was handcuffed.
Facing charges
He is charged with driving an unsafe vehicle, use of illegal license plates, driving under suspension, fleeing and eluding, failure to comply with the orders of a police officer, failing to stop after a collision, resisting arrest, possession of drug abuse instruments, possession of drug paraphernalia, aggravated vehicular assault, aggravated drug trafficking, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and drug abuse.
While taking inventory of Stores' car, police found a glass crack pipe with residue and a piece of suspected crack cocaine, plastic bags containing suspected marijuana and 15 yellow pills, a razor knife, glass test tube with residue and a brass push rod commonly used for cleaning crack pipes.
Police also found two suspected Oxycontin pills that they reportedly saw Stores toss from his car during the pursuit.
Two women in Stores' car were also arrested.
Tonia Fasnacht, 30, of Gordon Avenue, was charged with drug abuse and possession of drug abuse instruments.
Police said they found a small amount of accessories commonly used for smoking crack and marijuana in her purse.
Lynn Guildoo, 40, of Main Street, Columbiana, was charged with drug abuse and possession of drug abuse instruments. Police said they found a glass crack pipe and three small clear plastic bags on the floor of the car where she was sitting.
kubik@vindy.com