After a reported hit-and-run and an unsuccessful traffic stop, a veteran Davenport police officer fired a shot at a driver who allegedly failed to follow verbal commands.
Two vehicles were struck near 35th Street and Marquette Street in Davenport, Iowa, shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2015, according to a statement from Davenport Police Department Captain Dale Sievert.
Sievert said the two vehicles were struck by a black BMW which fled the scene.
One of the victims attempted to keep officers informed on where the BMW was headed, Sievert said. Once the vehicle was spotted at Central Park and Harrison, officer Bryant Wayland attempted a traffic stop. The driver then turned south on Scott Street where it hit a third vehicle.
Sievert said a “fully marked squad car” then stopped behind the suspect vehicle. Officer Wayland got out of the squad car, and started giving verbal commands to the driver who was getting out of the BMW.
“These verbal commands were not followed and subsequently led to a shot being fired at the driver,” Sievert said. Nobody was injured by the shot.
Sievert said the driver was taken into custody and two passengers in the car were taken to the Davenport Police Department to be interviewed.
“Officer Wayland was the only officer on the scene of the incident at the time the shot was fired,” Sievert said. Wayland was placed on administrative leave as per the department’s policy. Wayland has been a Davenport Police officer for eight years.
The day after the incident, police identified the driver as 37-year-old Benjamin Ernst of Davenport. Ernst was charged with OWI 2nd offense, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to maintain control and a red light violation.
Jail records showed Ernst spent one hour and 37 minutes in the Scott County Jail before he was released in lieu of $2,900 bond.