A Rhode Island man was caught on surveillance footage stealing a police car after getting into an argument with an officer.
Ishmael Lee, 34, was arrested on Tuesday after absconding with the stolen police vehicle.
The officer was on patrol when he saw two men, one of whom was Lee, driving Slingshots.
As the police officer observed the Slingshot riders, Lee bumped into someone riding an electric scooter.
Local station WPRI reports:
While speaking with the victim and Lee, the officer noticed that Lee had grabbed the bag he was carrying and tied it around the handlebars of his catapult. Lee then tried to distance himself as he continued to talk to the officer, the report said.
Because the officer believed Lee may have had a weapon, the report stated he attempted to pat down the bag for his safety before allowing Lee to grab his ID.
But Lee ran off with the bag before the officer could pat him down, the report said. The officer chased him around the corner to Colfax Street, where the two struggled briefly before Lee broke free and continued running.
According to the report, a firearm fell from Lee's bag as he escaped, so the officer secured the weapon while calling for backup.
At this point, Lee jumped into the officer's cruiser and sped away.
Lee didn't go far before jumping out of the vehicle and trying to get away on foot. He was quickly located by officers and taken into custody.
Lee has been charged with simple assault, motor vehicle theft, possession of a firearm, resisting arrest, reckless driving and obstruction of justice. His bail was set at $20,000 by a judge.
