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A teen driver was busted for striking a New Jersey cop and his K9 as he tried to flee a traffic stop this week, authorities said.

Three Atlantic City detectives, Christopher Dodson, Alberto Valles and Eric Evans, conducted a car stop at New Jersey and Baltic avenues in Atlantic City just after 9 p.m. Tuesday when they spotted a Ford Fusion that had previously been reported stolen, local police said.

The same vehicle had fled another car stop earlier in the day and had not been located, cops said. 

K9 Officer Anthony Grajales-Prado and his partner, K9 Chase, joined to assist with the car stop, authorities said. 

After the vehicle stopped, a passenger, Najaye Cooper-Albright, 18, got out and tried to run away, police said. Dodson quickly apprehended Cooper-Albright, who resisted arrest before he was taken into custody, police said. 

Meanwhile, the driver, Kasauhn Carpenter, 18, ignored commands from the officers and sped up toward Grajales-Prado and Chase, authorities said. 

Grajales-Prado was struck by the fleeing Fusion and ended up on the hood before being thrown off, cops said. 


  Officer Anthony Grajales-Prado had joined other officers in stopping Kasauhn Carpenter in a Ford Fusion that had previously been reported stolen. Mark Wilson/Getty Images Officer Anthony Grajales-Prado had joined other officers in stopping Kasauhn Carpenter in a Ford Fusion that had previously been reported stolen. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Chase was also struck, police said. Both he and his handler suffered minor injuries. 

Grajales-Prado was taken to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, and later released.

State troopers found Carpenter on US Route 42 and arrested him, cops said. 


  Kasauhn Carpenter’s passenger, Najaye Cooper-Albright, got out and tried to run away while Carpenter ignored orders from the officers and sped up toward Officer Anthony Grajales-Prado and K9 Chase. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images Kasauhn Carpenter’s passenger, Najaye Cooper-Albright, got out and tried to run away while Carpenter ignored orders from the officers and sped up toward Officer Anthony Grajales-Prado and K9 Chase. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images

He was charged with attempted murder, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of assault by auto, eluding, and hindering apprehension, police said. 

He was ordered held without bail at the Atlantic County Justice Facility.

Cooper-Albright was charged with obstruction of justice, unlawful taking of means of conveyance, and resisting arrest, authorities said. 

He was released on a summons with a future court date.

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