#Fired Missouri detective charged for allegedly running over suspect

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Joshua Smith
St. Louis County Police Department via AP

An ex-Missouri detective who was caught on video allegedly running over a fleeing suspect has been charged with assault, according to reports.

Disturbing surveillance video from the June 2 incident allegedly shows Joshua L. Smith behind the wheel of an SUV that barrels toward the man and striking him in Florissant.

Smith, 31, was fired last week and was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and armed criminal action, prosecutors said at a news conference, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

He surrendered Wednesday and was released on a $50,000 cash-only bond.

The criminal charges come after the release of a second video showing the incident from a different angle, according to the Post-Dispatch. That video shows the SUV flying across a driveway, hitting the man and coming to a halt on the front lawn.

Smith allegedly gets out of the SUV and appears to strike the victim repeatedly while handcuffing him.

The man, who suffered serious leg injuries requiring surgery, has not been identified by authorities.

The incident happened after Smith and two other detectives in his SUV spotted “suspicious behavior” by people in a black Dodge Charger — which matched the description of a vehicle wanted in a shooting the night before, according to Florissant Police Chief Timothy Fagan.

Fagan said it appeared Smith intentionally struck the man. Two other detectives have been placed on leave.