Man facing felony charges after dragging Dewey officer with vehicle

A man faces felony charges after dragging a Dewey Beach police officer with his vehicle June 23.

 

Dewey Police Lt. Cliff Dempsey said the incident occurred about 6:44 p.m. in the area of Coastal Highway southbound and Collins Avenue, when officers were alerted by the Sussex County Communications Center to a report of a driver who appeared to be unconscious behind the wheel at a red light.

 

Responding officers found a black Nissan Altima with Maryland registration, with the driver, later identified as Nicholas H. Pusey, 29, of Hebron, Md., unconscious with his foot on the brake and the vehicle in drive, Dempsey said.

 

Upon attempting to wake Pusey, officers observed signs of intoxication, Dempsey said. When instructed to open the door, Pusey began to take his foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to move and dragging an officer approximately 10 to 15 feet, Dempsey said. Despite multiple commands, Pusey resisted arrest, but was eventually secured and transported to the Dewey Beach Police Department.

 

During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered a cooler containing alcoholic beverages, THC vape pens, a large concealed fixed-blade knife, a Mosin Nagant rifle and a Walther PPQ 22 handgun.

 

Pusey has been charged with two counts of felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree felony reckless endangerment, felony carrying a concealed deadly weapon, misdemeanor resisting arrest and misdemeanor driving under the influence of liquor/drugs.

 

Pusey’s blood was drawn under a court-approved search warrant, and arrest warrants were submitted to Justice of the Peace Court 3 in Georgetown. Pusey is currently being held at Sussex Correctional Institution in lieu of $41,850 cash bail. No officers were injured in this incident.