THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 21, 1996 TAG: 9608211052
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 46 lines
Mark Hallenbeck, the Norfolk police officer who was seriously injured Monday night when he was dragged several blocks by a car, was recovering Tuesday at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Hallenbeck, who was unavailable to comment, is expected to remain hospitalized several days, but he could be off the street for some time, police spokesman Larry Hill said.
Doctors performed knee surgery on Hallenbeck, 31, Tuesday morning.
``He is still having discomfort, especially to the collarbone area where he was also injured, and he had bruises, cuts and abrasions all over his body,'' Hill said.
From his hospital bed, the officer thanked everyone who showed concern.
Hallenbeck, a four-year veteran assigned to the 2nd Patrol Division, was hurt just after 7 p.m. Monday when he tried to stop a man accused of stealing a car.
Police on Tuesday were still piecing together the bizarre case on a dimly lit stretch of road in East Ocean View.
Hallenbeck and his partner were talking with a Navy man, Marvin West, near a 7-Eleven store near Pleasant Avenue and Shore Drive when the man spotted his white Honda Civic being driven nearby, police said.
West told the officers his car was being driven illegally, and they went to investigate. When Hallenbeck asked the man to get out of the car, the man refused.
Hallenbeck reached into the car and grabbed the steering wheel, and the suspect sped off, Hill said. Hallenbeck was dragged across Shore Drive, hit a street sign and finally collapsed near the side of the road.
The driver sped along Pleasant Avenue until the car crashed into a one-story house at Pleasant Avenue and 27th Bay Street. He ran away.
Police are looking for the suspect, described as a dark-skinned black man in his early 20s, about 5-foot-7 and 140 pounds. He was last seen heading along 27th Bay Street.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Line at 664-4040. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
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[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT TRAFFIC INJURIES NORFOLK
POLICE DEPARTMENT by CNB