South Philly man shot in hand after ramming police car

A South Philadelphia man was shot in the hand by Upper Darby police last night after he rammed his pickup truck into an unmarked cruiser.

The man, whose name was not released, was apparently trying to free his friend, who had been arrested by a pair of detectives, said Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.

The bizarre episode started to unfold about 6 p.m., when Upper Darby detectives and Philadelphia police ventured to Winton Street near 3rd, in South Philly.

There, Chitwood said, two of his detectives arrested a man who was wanted on domestic-violence charges.

The man, whose name also was not released, was cuffed and placed in the back of an unmarked cop car.

"Then his neighbor, who was apparently intoxicated, got into his pick-up truck with his trusty dog and followed the cruiser," Chitwood said.

The neighbor plowed into the cop car on purpose at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue, he said.

The detectives got out of their crumpled car and opened fire when the man appeared ready to ram their car again, Chitwood said.

One bullet struck the man in the hand. He was treated at an area hospital. The dog was shot and killed. Chitwood said the incident is being investigated by Philadelphia police.