Man faces attempted murder charge for striking cop with motorcycle; officer still recovering
Mar. 5—DAVIDSON COUNTY — A Thomasville Police Department officer who was thrown into the air by being hit by a motorcycle fleeing other officers was recovering from his injuries Friday, and a Jamestown man has been charged with trying to kill the officer.
Detective Sgt. Joseph Driggers was seriously injured Thursday afternoon and flown to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, where he was in stable condition Friday afternoon, Thomasville police report.
The chase that left Driggers hospitalized started about 1:30 p.m. in Rowan County.
Deputies with the Rowan County Sheriff's Department tried to pull over a motorcycle that had no registration plate and chased it up Interstate 85 into Davidson County.
Thomasville police officers set up a roadblock as the pursuit approached Kanoy Road. At first the motorcyclist stopped, and officers who were in front of the motorcycle got out their vehicles to arrest him.
The man on the motorcycle then accelerated rapidly and struck Driggers, who was knocked back 10 to 15 feet, according to Thomasville police.
The collision with Driggers caused the man to lose control of the motorcycle and crash on the side of the highway. The man then tried to escape again but was captured by other officers, police say.
The motorcyclist, Brian Alexander Bacelli, 28, of Jamestown, has been charged by Thomasville police with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon on a governmental official, operating a motor vehicle with no registration, possession of a fictitious registration plate, driving while impaired, driving while license revoked and operating a vehicle with no insurance. Additional charges are expected, police say.
Rowan County authorities have charged Bacelli with assault on a government official, resisting a public officer, felony speed to elude, aggressive driving and driving while license revoked.
Bond was set at $1,060,000 secured. Bacelli was in the Davidson County Jail Friday afternoon and has a court date set for April 28.
Driggers is a 19-year law enforcement veteran who has served with the Thomasville Police Department since 2003. He is currently assigned to the criminal investigations division. Driggers previously was employed with the Lexington Police Department.
"The Thomasville Police Department would like to thank the community for the outpouring of support and encouragement during this difficult time," the department said in a statement. "Please continue to keep Sgt. Driggers and his family in your thoughts and prayers."
pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul
