Other cops in harm's way this weekend

Officers throughout the region faced down danger in the line of duty this weekend.

About 6:30 p.m. Friday, less than two hours before the fatal shooting that took the life of 35th District Officer John Pawlowski, two city officers were dragged 15 feet by a fleeing motorist following a routine traffic stop.

The stop was initiated on 48th Street near Walnut, West Philadelphia.

Upon approaching the 2004 Chevy Impala, officers smelled marijuana and asked the driver, Allan Thomas, 26, to leave the car.

According to police, Thomas instead began pushing, punching and kicking the two officers in their chests and mid-sections.

Thomas was able to break free and get back behind his wheel and "gun" the car, police said.

The two officers were dragged about 15 feet before letting go of the vehicle and watching it turn east on Locust, according to police.

One of the officers escaped uninjured and the other reported only a scrape to his knee.

Police found the car abandoned on Farragut Street near Walnut, but they have yet to find Thomas.

Thomas, of Angora Drive near Cobbs Creek Parkway, in Yeadon, was supposedly on house arrest with a monitoring device at the time of the incident, police said.

Thomas has 17 prior arrests on his record, including robbery, aggravated assault and firearms violations, according to police.

In Delaware County yesterday morning, police in Chester were also confronted with a combative suspect following a routine traffic stop.

As officers attempted to pull over a car for running a red light about 12:50 a.m., the driver, identified as Michael Wright, allegedly sped off, fleeing just a short distance before crashing his car into a parked vehicle on Morton Avenue near Johnson Street.

Police said that as they approached the vehicle, Wright, 28, began smashing out his windows.

When he realized he couldn't escape his car or police, Wright allegedly pointed a 9mm semi automatic gun at the cops and refused to drop it when he was ordered to do so, according to a news release.

Police then fired several rounds at Wright "to end the threat of injury to officers and civilians," Chester Police Captain Joseph Massi said.

Still, Wright would not quit.

He managed to get out of the car through a broken passenger window and again, pointed his gun at officers, causing them to shoot at him yet again, Massi said.

Wright attempted to run away on foot but was quickly captured.

Upon his arrest, police discovered that Wright had been hit by their gunfire several times.

He was taken to an area hospital where he is in guarded condition, but expected to survive.

Wright will be charged with aggravated assault, weapons offenses and related crimes, Massi said.

According to police, Wright has a previous felony conviction, which bars him from possessing a gun. *