Police: Situation escalates after police investigate car running for hours

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Sioux Falls police responded to a call about a car that had been running for hours, and after a pursuit, officers say the suspect now faces multiple charges.

Sunday morning around 12:30 a.m., two officers responded to a call for a truck parked in eastern Sioux Falls that had been running for a couple of hours.

Officers found a man sleeping inside. Police turned off the truck and took the keys out of the ignition. Then they woke up the man who began struggling with the officers as they tried to get him out of the vehicle. One officer was on the driver’s side pulling the suspect while the other was on the passenger side pushing him, but the suspect resisted, got the truck started again, and started driving away.

The officer on the passenger’s side was dragged a short distance and sustained minor road rash injuries to his head, arm, and leg. The other officer did not sustain injuries.

The vehicle sped away, dropping a bag that was found to contain 2 bags of meth, 16 grams and 31 grams, and drug paraphernalia. Other officers later saw the suspect vehicle in central-eastern Sioux Falls. The truck again sped away when officers tried to pull it over, and a pursuit began.

In northwest Sioux Falls, the suspect pulled over and fled on foot before eventually being caught shortly after.

Police have identified the suspect as Joshua Michael Hamilton, 33, from Sioux Falls. Hamilton was arrested for fleeing police, parole absconder, possession of a controlled substance/paraphernalia, aggravated eluding, aggravated assault on law enforcement, no driver’s license, resisting arrest, reckless driving, possession of stolen property, substitute license plates, distribution of a controlled substance, and 1st-degree DWI.