Phoenix man who rammed cops with car possibly drunk, had anti-police bias

Court documents indicate the Phoenix man accused of intentionally ramming three police officers with his vehicle was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but authorities are still digging into the man’s background to determine a motive in the attack.

Marc LaQuon Payne was ordered held without bond after the Tuesday incident, which was recorded on a gas station’s surveillance camera.

The video shows three officers standing next to a police SUV in front of the QuikTrip when a car that had been parked nearby accelerates directly toward them. One of the officers is flung into the air, another falls to the ground, and a third ends up wrestling with the driver after he emerges from the car.

Phoenix police officials said Mr. Payne refused to discuss a possible motive for the attack when he was taken into custody.

“Our detectives are still working back in his history for anything that would provide a motive,” said police spokesman Sgt. Jon Howard.

That includes probing social media accounts, reviewing prior law enforcement contacts and interviewing family members and friends of a 44-year-old, who is described in court documents as a transient.

Though an initial court questionnaire states that Mr. Payne was under the influence of either drugs or alcohol, Sgt. Howard said tests to determine intoxication have not yet been returned.

Mr. Payne was ordered held in jail without bond on suspicion of three counts of attempted first-degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of resisting arrest.

The injured officers include a 33-year-old rookie, who was on his first day on duty and suffered a concussion. A 41-year-old sergeant suffered a broken leg, and a 36-year-old officer who managed to jump out of the way of the car was injured during the struggle with the driver.

Two of the officers have since been released from the hospital, but the third, who suffered a concussion, was still being treated Wednesday.

“As a Department, we are very fortunate these officers were not killed or more seriously injured,” Phoenix police Chief Joe Yahner said in a post about the incident on Facebook. “We are living in uncertain times, and this is yet another reminder of how important it is to stay vigilant, and to watch out for one another.”

The incident follows fatal shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, over the summer that targeted police officers and left agencies across the country on high alert for targeted attacks.

Phoenix police are not taking any specific precautions as a result of Tuesday’s incident but are telling officers to remain alert at all times while on duty.

“There are no agencies who are immune from random, senseless unprovoked attacks on their police officers,” Sgt. Howard said. “We are advising our officers to increase their level of awareness during their shifts.”